As geopolitical competition intensifies, emerging technologies reshape both threats and responses, and multilateral cooperation becomes more fragmented, the foundations of the global counter-terrorism architecture are increasingly under pressure. While cooperation remains possible, it is becoming more complex, more uneven, and more shaped by national interests and domestic political dynamics.
Against this backdrop, KAS New York developed this strategic outlook based on insights from a closed-door expert workshop series convening counter-terrorism experts from the UN, Member States, civil society, and the private sector. The outlook identifies key structural, political, and technological drivers likely to shape the trajectory of global counter-terrorism efforts over the next decade. It examines how evolving threat dynamics, shifting patterns of cooperation, and the growing role of non-state actors and emerging technologies may impact the effectiveness and coherence of international responses.
At a time of increasing uncertainty, this publication aims to provide a forward-looking perspective on the future of counter-terrorism cooperation and contribute to discussions in the context of the ninth review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.