Four-week Specialised Training on Counter-Terrorism Investigations (STOCTI) Intermediate Module Concluded
The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) concluded a four-week Intermediate Module of its university-accredited Specialized Training on Counter-Terrorism Investigations (STOCTI).
Aimed at developing operational skills to counter terrorism, the training was organized by the UNOCT Global Counter-Terrorism Investigations Programme through the UNOCT Programme Office and Training Centre in Rabat and in partnership with Al Akhawayn University in Morocco.
From 23 June to 15 July 2025, 22 participants from Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Somalia engaged in an intensive, hands-on training experience designed to strengthen operational capabilities in complex counter-terrorism investigations.
STOCTI is an 11.5-week Executive Master’s programme, certified by Al Akhawayn University and accredited by the New England Commission for Higher Education (NECHE). By strengthening practitioner-level expertise and reinforcing cooperation between national and international agencies, STOCTI trains investigators to respond to evolving terrorist threats. The programme fosters sustainable institutional development by embedding practical skills, ethical standards, and cross-border collaboration into national investigative frameworks. It contributes to advancing counter-terrorism capacity-building efforts and fostering stronger, more resilient security institutions across Africa.
This Intermediate Module marks the second of three training blocks and follows the Foundational Module delivered in April–May 2025. Training topics included:
- Special Investigative Techniques – featuring scenario-based human intelligence (HUMINT) exercises, secure meeting planning, and counter-surveillance operations.
- Financial Intelligence Analysis – focused on tracing illicit transactions, identifying suspicious activity, and using open-source intelligence to build financial profiles.
- Prosecution of Terrorism-Related Crimes – covering legal frameworks, battlefield and digital evidence handling, and the prosecution of foreign terrorist fighters.
- Intelligence Analysis – emphasizing structured assessments, ethical collection, and the production of actionable intelligence products.
This module was delivered by experts from the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN), the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Guardia di Finanza of Italy, the Investigative Committee and the Federal Financial Monitoring Service of the Russian Federation, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
The next and final stage of Executive Master’s degree will take place in the Fall of 2025 with the Advanced Module culminating in a graduation ceremony for successful training participants.
STOCTI was made possible through the generous support of the Governments of Canada, Italy, the Kingdom of Morocco, the State Qatar, and the United Nations Peace and Development Fund (China).
