UK allocates funds to develop new Commonwealth counter-extremism unit

The UK Government has allocated a grant of £5m to a new Commonwealth unit over a period of five years to counter extremism.

The new unit will focus on strengthening ability of Commonwealth countries to counter extremist narrative.

The unit is expected to facilitate technical counter-terrorism expertise to all the countries including the ones without ample counter-extremism resources of their own and will develop capacity-building through non- governmental organisations.

UK Government said in a statement: "The Commonwealth Secretariat will work with civil society networks and Commonwealth governments to develop counter-extremism strategies."

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has also called for the countries around the world to unite in developing new approaches to counter threats.

Cameron said: "The fight against extremism is something that affects us all. The Commonwealth has a vital role to play in broadening international efforts to counter extremism. Its civil society and education networks make it particularly well placed to complement international efforts to build counter narratives to this poisonous extremist ideology.

"This is the struggle of our generation, but by working together we will defeat this extremist scourge that is a threat to us all."

Additionally, the government has unveiled plans to expand the recently-established European counter-radicalisation youth network to include all Commonwealth countries to support moderate youth voices in countering extremism.

As part of the project, the network will receive an additional £200,000 of seed funding.