By: Charles Caris, Analyst Consultant, Praescient Analytics
Praescient is informing smarter global counterterrorism policy as part of a new initiative by the US Department of State. Launched in September 2015 following remarks by President Barack Obama to the United Nations, the new venture seeks to improve counterterrorism cooperation on the global scale.
As the technical lead for this project, known as the International Counterterrorism (CT) and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Clearinghouse Mechanism (ICCM), Praescient Analytics is developing a new database from the ground up. The ICCM will eventually house CT/CVE Programmatic data from a wide range of international and governmental organizations, serving as a one-stop CT/CVE shop for policymakers.
The ICCM will help allocate donor country resources more effectively by identifying gaps and overlaps in current CT/CVE programming. By using the ICCM interface, key donors, such as the United States and the United Nations, will be empowered to make smarter decisions about how and where their programs are funded. Rather than relying on ad-hoc and reactive policy considerations, donors will be able to analyze the CT/CVE landscape through lenses such as country CT/CVE priorities, projected funding levels, and geographic spread, among others. Recipient governments can utilize the ICCM to keep track of the various external support pipelines flowing into their countries.
One of the most challenging aspects of the ICCM is developing a universal data taxonomy through which all programmatic data can be ingested. The taxonomy must reflect a comprehensive and universally understood approach to CT/CVE programming and also take into consideration numerous pre-existing stakeholder approaches to programming. For example, what the Department of State considers a border security initiative may be classified as preventive security, capacity-building, or law enforcement by other international organizations.
Praescient is excited to continue work on this ambitious and innovative endeavor with our partners, Park Advisors and Creative Associates. Please check back for updates as the ICCM gets up and running!