Australia will help fund a new Commonwealth unit to counter extremism and radicalisation targeting young people, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says.
The unit will operate in the Commonwealth Secretariat and Australia will provide $2.5 million over five years towards its operation, he announced at the Commonwealth leaders' meeting in Malta on Saturday.
The British government is the only other financial backer for the new initiative but it's hoped other Commonwealth states will come on board.
Mr Turnbull told reporters the unit would focus on finding "better means to counter the extremist narrative".
"So understanding what is attracting young people, mostly young people, to extremist ideologies, grappling with that and promoting a culture - which is very consistent of course with the culture of the Commonwealth - of mutual respect."
Mr Turnbull said extremist ideology was "dynamically driven" through online media so it was important to collaborate with other countries and agencies to learn from their experiences and respond quickly to threats.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said the two member states providing the funding gave "a very strong hint to the rest of the membership" to also support the unit.
"Because this is a cause that is going to be before us for a very long time."
