From 07 to 11 September 2025, the IIJ Counter-terrorism Platform for Human Rights Engagement (CT PHARE), in partnership with the European Union Advisory Mission in Iraq (EUAM Iraq), the Iraq National Committee on Counter-Terrorism (NCCT), and the Office of National Security Advisory (ONSA) with the generous support of the European Union, successfully concluded Mission 3 in the series of focused support to Iraq’s forthcoming National Counter-Terrorism Strategy 2026–2030. This milestone initiative represents a significant step forward in promoting a rule of law human rights-based counter-terrorism policies across and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The activities on Mission 3 included two capacity building events — ‘Strengthening Approaches to Prevention in Iraq’s National CT Strategy: Capacity Building for the Government of Iraq’ and ‘Enhancing Human Rights Reporting in a Counter-Terrorism Context: Capacity Building for the Government of Iraq’. In addition, one high-level roundtable was held on ‘Recommendations for Iraq’s National CT Strategy 2026-2030: Stakeholders’ Roundtable’, bringing together the NCCT and other strategic stakeholders in Iraq.
The roundtable discussion was chaired by the Head of the NCCT, with the participation of senior committee members, ONSA, and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Iraq. The IIJ CT PHARE had the honour of briefing on the status of the process and highlighting key recommendations on how to assist with embedding rule of law human rights principles in a prevention-oriented counter-terrorism approach, marking the strategic shift from wartime operations to peacetime prevention.
The IIJ and CT PHARE is looking forward to further enhancing the engagement with the Government of Iraq and the EU in Iraq on the next steps for the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy 2026-2030.
