COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a near standstill with widespread direct and indirect consequences spanning public health, socio-economic, political, and security dimensions. In the Horn of Africa, the pandemic has presented yet another layer to the complex challenges that the region continues to grapple with, including the threat of terrorism and violent extremism. This webinar was convened for researchers, policy makers and development partners to engage in a discussion and a cultivation of ideas toward understanding the potential impact that COVID-19 might have on P/CVE work. The main objective of the webinar was to set a new research agenda on the impact of COVID-19 and P/CVE. The webinar brought together researchers, policy practitioners and development partners from the region to engage in brainstorming, cultivate ideas and identify new trends in radicalization, violent extremism and terrorism within the context of COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar attracted an expansive audience drawn from all the countries in the region, and whose participation enriched the outcomes of the webinar. Discussions were structured along five thematic areas, namely: COVID-19 and trends in terrorism, al Shabab and Islamic State (IS), COVID-19 and the changing narratives for radicalization and violent extremism, COVID-19, gender and radicalization, Impact of COVID-19 on PCVE interventions, and the role of governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in addressing radicalization and violent extremism in the time of COVID-19.
