Policy Brief

Countering Violent Extremism in the MENA Region: Time to Rethink Approaches and Strategies

May 2016

Abstract

The foreign fighters phenomenon affecting MENA countries is unprecedented in its scale and pace. While most MENA countries have adopted “hard” strategies based on security-focused approaches, countering violent extremism (CVE) also requires the use of “soft” strategies stemming from multidimensional approaches. This means turning the current short-term strategy into a long-term strategy addressing the roots of violent extremism.

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