CSO’s expertise focuses on three key lines of effort: 1) political instability; 2) security sector stabilization; and 3) countering violent extremism (CVE).

CSO collaborates with regional and functional bureaus, the Department of Defense, and USAID, and details stabilization advisors to posts and Geographic Combatant Commands (COCOMS) requiring specialized expertise.

[1] Strategic prevention includes deliberate efforts to reduce fragility, strengthen institutions, and increase cohesion in priority countries to disrupt likely pathways to violent conflict, instability, and/or political subversion.

[4] Examples of the Bureau's work includes analyzing and mitigating non-state armed groups, reintegrating former fighters or war veterans, and getting combatants off the battlefield.

CSO reinforced this effort by deploying a Stabilization Advisor to the American Embassy in Niamey to assist the Government of Niger in establishing a legal framework and implementation plan for defectors.