Indonesia, Kenya Strengthen Cooperation in Countering Violent Extremism

Nairobi, MINA— The Embassy of Indonesia (KBRI) in Nairobi hosted a bilateral dialogue titled “The Whole of Government and The Whole Society Approach: The Significant Role of Civil Society in PCVE Efforts in Indonesia and Kenya” on Monday (February 3). 

During the dialogue, Indonesia and Kenya reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in preventing and countering violent extremism (PCVE), including encouraging the involvement of civil society in both countries.

The Indonesian Ambassador to Kenya, Dr. Mohamad Hery Saripudin, opened the dialogue. In his remarks, he emphasized that extremism and terrorism are strategic issues critical to national and global security.

Therefore, international cooperation is essential, both between governments and through grassroots collaboration. He also highlighted the importance of knowledge transfer in implementing PCVE, hoping Indonesia and Kenya could synergize more closely to address these challenges.

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The dialogue featured the Deputy for International Cooperation of Indonesia’s National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), Andhika Chrisnayudhanto, and the Director of Kenya’s National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), Kibiego Kiken, as key speakers.

Both speakers presented updates on their respective National Action Plans (NAP) for PCVE, the challenges faced, and the importance of involving non-governmental actors, such as civil society organizations (CSOs), in localizing these strategies.

This bilateral dialogue was the highlight of a cross-country conference themed “Enhancing Cooperation: A Cross-Country Peer-to-Peer Learning and Exchange Program on Localizing Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) Strategies in Kenya,” held from January 26 to February 3, 2025. The event was organized by the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) in collaboration with BNPT, NCTC Kenya, and Mensen met een Missie (MM).

Participants included representatives from governments and civil society organizations from Indonesia, Kenya, and Nigeria. The Indonesian government was represented by BNPT’s Directorate of Regional and Multilateral Cooperation, while civil society organizations included Imparsial, AMAN Indonesia, Peace Generation, and Fatayat NU.

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The cross-country conference aimed to exchange best practices between Indonesia and Kenya in localizing NAPs for PCVE, identify challenges and solutions, and highlight the strategic role of civil society in these efforts.

The event took place in Nairobi and Mombasa, with field visits to Kilifi County and Kwale County. Earlier, hybrid meetings were held in October and November 2024.

At the end of the conference, participants issued follow-up recommendations for JISRA, BNPT, NCTC Kenya, and MM. These included research on rehabilitation and reintegration, JISRA’s support for localizing Indonesia’s NAP for PCVE, and continuing peer-to-peer learning programs between Indonesia and Kenya in the future. []

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)

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