In the context of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), which brought together world leaders for multilateral discussions on a wide range of international issues, the Coordination Center for Countering Against Violent Extremism (Cve Center) participated and contributed to the side event co-organized with the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Albanian Government on the topic “Successful Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Citizens Returned from Northeastern Syria.”

The high-level panel was welcomed by the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Igli Hasani, who emphasized that Albania is committed to combating radicalization and violent extremism by implementing best practices for the repatriation of citizens and providing essential support for reintegration. Mr. Hasani underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy that prioritizes the protection and reintegration of returnees, particularly children, who are the most innocent victims of conflict.

The National Coordinator for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Ms. Lejdi Dervishi, presented to the panelists the work done by the CVE Center under the direction of the Ministry of Interior regarding the Albanian model for addressing the challenges posed by the rehabilitation of citizens returned from conflict zones and individual solutions for the repatriated individuals, including women and children.

Ms. Dervishi also highlighted that in the multi-year effort to tackle this global challenge of Rehabilitation & Reintegration processes, the Albanian Government has received valuable support from our international partners and has accumulated extensive experience, drawing lessons and best practices that can now be transferred from one context to another for the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from Syria.

The panelists included Mr. Irfan Saeed, Director of the Counter-Terrorism Action Unit, Transnational Threats Department of the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, and Deputy Director Mr. Fejzo Numanaj, who discussed the results and work done with the CCAVE, as well as the collaboration with GCERF, represented at this event by Executive Director Mr. Khalid Koser and Program Director Ms. Lila Schumicky Logan.