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The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), through the EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility (the Facility) and the Global Counter-Terrorism Investigations Programme (CTI Programme), partnered with Kenya’s National Criminal Investigations Academy (NCIA) to provide support to Kenya in strengthening country’s capacity to independently train counter-terrorism investigators.
The support, provided under the Facility’s third support package for Kenya, was developed in response to a request from the Government of Kenya and a training gaps analysis conducted in 2025 that identified the need to strengthen the NCIA’s capacity to independently design and deliver specialized counter-terrorism investigations training.
Building Kenya's First National Counter-Terrorism Investigations Course
To address these needs, the Facility and the CTI Programme joined efforts to support the development of Kenya’s first Counter-Terrorism Investigations Course (CTIC). Drawing on good international practices and materials developed under UNOCT’s Specialized Training on Counter-Terrorism Investigations (STOCTI), the course has been customized to reflect the country’s specific operational context and investigative realities.
The development process brought together NCIA instructors and subject-matter experts from a range of Kenyan institutions, including the Counter Terrorism Bureau (formerly known as Anti-Terrorism Police Unit – ATPU), the Criminal Investigations Department, the Cybercrime and Digital Forensics Lab, and the Forensic Bomb and Hazardous Material Disposal Unit, among others. Through workshops, mentoring sessions and course design meetings, participants worked side by side with UNOCT international experts to create a training programme grounded in operational realities, while ensuring compliance with international human rights standards, gender-sensitive approaches and rule of law principles.
The first phase of the CTIC pilot was conducted in Nairobi in May and June 2026, providing an opportunity to evaluate course content, refine teaching methodologies and practical exercises. Feedback gathered helped further refine the curriculum and strengthen its relevance to Kenya’s counter-terrorism needs.
The second phase of the CTIC pilot delivery took place from 14 to 25 September 2026, bringing together Kenyan trainers, practitioners, and international experts to finalize the course before its institutionalization within the NCIA’s curriculum. With the development of CTIC, Kenya is establishing a sustainable, nationally owned platform for training future generations to maintain the specialized counter-terrorism expertise.
In addition, UNOCT handed over specialized training equipment to the NCIA. The equipment package which included computer workstations, presentation tools, portable storage devices, and audio-visual equipment was procured in response to needs identified by the Academy and is designed to enhance practical, technology-enabled, and scenario-based learning.
UNOCT’s Specialized Training on Counter-Terrorism Investigations (STOCTI) is a flagship course developed by CTI Programme to enhance the operational capabilities of law enforcement agencies in investigating terrorism and its nexus crimes through high-impact, practitioner-led training. Launched in 2022, STOCTI provides an 11-week (3 modules, 444 hours) comprehensive advanced training in areas such as cybercrime, digital forensics, financial intelligence, legal frameworks, and intelligence analysis, while emphasizing the importance of human rights and the rule of law delivered in-person at UNOCT’s Programme Office in Rabat, Morocco, and at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.
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"This equipment makes training interactive, scenario-based and centered on the trainee. It narrows the distance between training and operational requirements"
A Strong Partnership for Lasting Impact
As Kenya advances toward the finalization and certification of the CTIC, the support provided by UNOCT through the EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility and the Global Counter-Terrorism Investigations Programme serves as a strong example of how targeted, nationally owned capacity-building initiatives can generate lasting impact. As a final step in this support, the Facility and CTI will support the development of specialized training modules on Intelligence Analysis, as well as Digital Forensics and Cybercrime Investigations to further strengthen Kenya's ability to prevent, investigate, and respond to complex and evolving terrorism-related threats.
Funded by the EU funding and implemented by UNOCT, the initiative has laid the foundations for a sustainable national training capability that will contribute to more effective investigations and greater resilience against terrorism.
