Mombasa city has been selected to join a network of cities-Strong Cities Network- across the world to combat violent extremism and promote cohesion.
In recent years the city was rocked with violent protests and terrorist attacks blamed on islamic radicals but has been quiet since August last year.
Strong Cities Network (SCN) is a global initiative connecting cities and other local authorities to help protect communities by building resilience and strengthening social cohesion against violent extremism.
As a member of the SCN International Steering Committee, Mombasa County will be at the forefront of developing and delivering community-based strategies and locally-led approaches that will contribute to building social cohesion and resilience to violent extremism.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho said on Monday that he would travel to New York City to participate in the official launch of the SCN on September 29 at the United Nations.
"It gives me great joy to represent the people of Mombasa and to offer the message of hope that we are not alone in this fight against violent extremism and that together we shall overcome", said Joho.
He said that the initiative would enable Mombasa to discuss issues of violent extremism and mitigation measure through the information-sharing and city-to-city exchanges.
Joho said that violent extremism had no place in Mombasa but the area has in the last three years been hit by a wave of violence blamed on Islamic extremism blamed on Somali based Al Shabaab terror group.
Youths from Mombasa's Majengo, Kisauni and Old Town areas believed to have been radicalized by extreme Muslim doctrines have been blamed for attacks on civilians.
The youths police says were motivated by preaching from slain Muslim clerics Aboud Rogo Mohammed, Sheik Ibrahim Amur and Abubakar Shariff Ahmed.
Joho said that the network would enable the county to learn on the measures that have been employed in other cities in dealing with extremists' violence.
According to the program of the meeting seen by the Standard the meeting will be opened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who will also introduce a Keynote address by U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch.
Joho said he will engage with other prominent mayors and members of the SCN International Steering Committee to discuss ways to accelerate community-driven solutions that address the many challenges posed by violent extremism at local level.
On September 30, the SCN International Steering Committee will hold an inaugural meeting to develop and finalize the 2015-2016 SCN Strategic Plans.
"The Strong Cities Network will serve as a vital tool to strengthen capacity-building and improve collaboration," said Attorney General Lynch in a statement yesterday
He said that platform will enable cities to learn from one another, to develop best practices, and to build social cohesion and community resilience here at home and around the world.
The SCN will be run by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a leading international 'think-and-do' tank with a long standing track-record of working to prevent violent extremism.
"We are excited to foster collaboration and innovation among cities, municipalities and other sub-national authorities in building local resilience to violent extremism", said ISD's CEO Sasha Havlicek in a statement
She said it was imperative that the cities promote long-term resilience to extremists groups which she termed as a global challenge.
