Counterterrorism and Development Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities: DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18847/1.11.12

Abstract

The link between security and development has been widely debated in recent years. New cooperation instruments such as the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa have focused on the use of cooperation mechanisms for purposes that differ from the classic objectives of development cooperation such as the fight against poverty or those currently included in the Sustainable Development Goals. That fact has been a controversial situation in political and academic field and among the cooperation experts´.

This document provides an analysis of the links between development and security. Within this framework, it is worth highlighting how, from a general approach, preventing violent extremism (PVE) and terrorism can be tackled tangentially through some global development objectives such as conflict prevention or the strengthening of the rule of law. The position of international organisations on this issue, including the initiatives of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the institution which, within the framework of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), monitors and evaluates the development policies of its member countries, and of the European Union, will make it possible to reflect further on possible ways of collaboration between the prevention of terrorism and radicalisation and development cooperation.

In addition, examples are given of countries that have incorporated interventions in this area as part of their development policy, such as Denmark, the United States, the United Kingdom and Sweden. In conclusion, it analyses Spain's position in this regard, specifically following the approval of the V Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2018-2021. The study of the prioritized goals and the lines of action included in the Master Plan will allow assessing whether terrorism prevention can be considered in development cooperation planning and identifying specific proposals for action that contribute to minimizing favourable contexts for radicalization and terrorism.