G7: Steven Hill’s Speech

Rome-Lyon Group meeting (Rome, 23-25 Oct 2024)

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,
It is a privilege to address this gathering of the Rome-Lyon Group of the G7 and I would like to thank the Italian Presidency for inviting me.
My name is Steven Hill and I am Executive Secretary of the Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ). The IIJ plays a vital role in the international counterterrorism landscape, and we appreciate all the support we receive from the G7 and its member countries.
The IIJ was established to deliver practical training programmes for criminal justice practitioners to strengthen their capacities to address terrorism and related transnational criminal activities, while always adhering to the principles of the rule of law and human rights.
As a GCTF-inspired institution, the IIJ remains deeply committed to enhancing the capacity of criminal justice practitioners around the world. Since our inception 10 years ago, we have had the privilege of working with criminal justice practitioners, and today, we proudly count over 9,800 alumni among those who have participated in our programmes.
Our mission is to strengthen criminal justice systems, improve professional skills across the criminal justice chain, and foster regional networks among those on the front lines of counter-terrorism efforts. By equipping criminal justice practitioners with the tools, knowledge, and networks they need, we help to ensure that they can pursue terrorists and bring them to justice within a legal framework that respects human rights and the rule of law.
A key feature of the IIJ’s work is our focus on promoting cooperation across borders. Over the past decade, we have built strong partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders—from national governments and international organizations to regional and sub-regional organisations and national training institutes. This collaborative approach ensures that our efforts are aligned with the needs of our practitioners.
One of the most pressing issues facing us today is the evolving threat of terrorism in Africa. Over the past few years, we have seen an alarming increase in terrorist activities across the continent, particularly in regions such as the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. Groups such as ISIS, Boko Haram, and al-Shabaab continue to exploit fragile governance and security structures, threatening not only regional stability but also international peace and security.
The IIJ has responded to these growing challenges by working closely with our African partners to strengthen their criminal justice systems. Our work includes helping to build their capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate terrorism cases in a manner that is consistent with the rule of law and international human rights standards. We provide specialized training on topics such as Addressing Emerging Threats, Safeguarding Human Rights, Gathering Evidence, Sharing Information and Building Cases, Countering the Financing of Terrorism. We also provide Foundational Courses providing comprehensive core skills longer-course training for prosecutors, judges, and investigators.
In fact, a key focus of our efforts continues to be the African continent, where 50% of our training and capacity-strengthening activities will be concentrated. Recent developments in the security threat are making the need for our actions even greater, as evidenced by the ever-increasing number of requests to take part in our training courses. We are particularly proud of our work in countries such as Somalia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and across the broader West African and Great Lakes regions.
Our partnerships with regional organizations and national training institutes have been instrumental in advancing our work in Africa. The AU and the AU’s Counterterrorism Centre has been an invaluable partner and in fact as we speak our team is in Algiers, Algeria implementing a workshop on Pre-Trial Detention with Francophone African Countries. As a case in point let me also mention the West Africa Dialogue on Battlefield Evidence that we will be organising end of this month in Rabat, Morocco.
We have also placed a particular emphasis on supporting the inclusion of women in the criminal justice chain. Their role in counterterrorism efforts is critical, not only because it promotes gender equality but because it enhances the effectiveness of criminal justice responses overall. By ensuring that women are involved in every aspect of the criminal justice process, we foster a more comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges posed by terrorism.
While the African continent is expected to remain IIJ’s geographic focus, where a large part of our training and capacity-strengthening activities will be concentrated, recent developments in the security environment there are making the need for our actions even greater, as evidenced by the ever-increasing number of requests from practitioners to take part in our training courses. In addition to Africa, the IIJ will continue to work in Middle East and Southeast Asia in 2025, as well as expanding its thematic reach and its geographic to Central Asia including specialized programmes on the rehabilitation and reintegration of foreign terrorist fighters.
At this juncture, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to the G7 countries. Five of you are on our Governing Board and all of you are donors to the IIJ, and without your support, our work would not be possible. Your commitment to strengthening the rule of law and justice around the world and your political support for our work is crucial. Your contributions enable us to provide the necessary support to practitioners in the most challenging environments.
In conclusion, I want to reaffirm the IIJ’s commitment to advancing justice and the rule of law as the foundation for sustainable security. The threats we face today are complex, and they are evolving rapidly. But with the continued support of the G7 and our global partners, I am confident that we can meet these challenges. Together, we can build a world that is not only more secure, but more just and resilient in the face of terrorism.
Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to our continued collaboration in this essential work.