Launch of the Global Fusion Cells Programme’s Compendium of Good Practices and Related Guidelines

On 24 June 2022, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Global Fusion Cells Programme launched the Compendium of Good Practices and Related Guidelines on Establishing and Operating a Fusion Centre. The launch took place during a High-Level Heads of Counter-Terrorism and Security Agencies event focused on “Enhancing Capacity-Building and Training for West African States” (23 June 2022).

The Compendium  aims to assist Member States in strengthening existing national-level interagency coordination mechanisms. It was designed to assist policymakers, law enforcement officials and practitioners involved in developing and operating national fusion and counterterrorism centres. It provides good practices and strategies identified by experienced practitioners in the field of threat reduction from around the world.  The Compendium includes concrete guidance in a wide range of domains such as mandate definition, national stakeholder mapping, human resources, key roles and functions, communications, and optimizing the exchange of information. 

The launch was opened by UNOCT Under-Secretary-General Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, a representative of the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as the United Nations Police (UNPOL) Director of the Police Division, Mr. Luís Carrilho. 

In his opening remarks, Mr. Voronkov commended all involved in preparing the Compendium, including the Member State experts. “I am confident that the sharing of experienced challenges and good practices will lead to enhanced inter-agency coordination at all levels in our joint fight against terrorism,” he said.

Mr. Luís Carrilho stated that “the United Nations Police division was grateful to be able to contribute to this Compendium, to ensure that [the] United Nations Policing’s perspective was reflected therein, in the best practices for the development and operationalization of fusion centres.”

Opening remarks were followed by a thematic exchange with expert speakers who shared their national experiences showcasing the importance of sharing information to national security. The experts emphasized how fusion cells provide a solution to a lack of interagency cooperation at the national level. They discussed the importance of sharing good practices, and lessons learned with other fusion centres on a regional and international basis.

The thematic exchange session featured  directors of leading national fusion- and counterterrorism centres, including the Intelligence Cell for Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO) in Spain; the Coordinated Unit for Threat Analysis (CUTA) in Belgium; and the Counter-Terrorism and Analysis and Fusion Agency (CTAFA) in Botswana. The exchange concluded with remarks from a Senior Legal advisor at the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), one of the Programme’s implementing partners.

The launch was attended by over 50 national-level participants from fusion centres, government bodies, and agencies responsible for security, counter-terrorism, and law enforcement from over 24 Member States, including Mali, Nigeria, Cape Verde, Sierra Leone, Libya, Ghana, Botswana, Belgium, Morocco, and Spain.