This four-year regional development project was designed to strengthen the development responses to mitigate the growth of violent extremism in Africa; this is a long-term process and this project should be seen as the frst phase of a long-term engagement. This focus is motivated by the ever-increasing presence of violent extremist groups on African soil causing, in the words of UN Security-General Ban Ki-moon, an “arc of upheaval and distress”. Violent extremism is having a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of populations across the continent - particularly the most vulnerable, and including youth, women and children. The project will be implemented at the regional and country level. At the regional level the project will support the capacity of the African Union Commission (AUC) and Regional Economic Communities (IGAD, LCBC and ECOWAS) to prevent and respond to violent extremism.