Disrupting transnational terrorism through inter-regional cooperation

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Representatives from counter-terrorism units and INTERPOL National Central Bureaus met to review common security challenges and terrorism threats that affect both the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) and the Southeast Asia regions.

The fourth edition of the Working Group on Combating Terrorism between the Middle East and North Africa and South Asia and the Pacific Countries gathered more than 40 officers from law enforcement agencies in 17 countries in the regions represented at the three-day meeting (10 - 12 December 2019 ).

A key focus of the meeting was to promote international police cooperation among participating countries and identify opportunities to enhance the use of INTERPOL global policing capabilities in supporting counter-terrorism investigations.

The meeting sought to identify opportunities to enhance the use of INTERPOL global policing capabilities in counter-terrorism investigations.

“Fighting terrorism and its tools requires exceptional efforts at the regional and international levels so as to confront it in all its forms, dry its sources of financing, and repel all attempts to spread it. Regional and international efforts are essential so as to prevent and disrupt all forms of terrorism, protect the lives of innocent citizens and help make the world safer,” said Lieutenant General Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior of UAE, during the opening ceremony.

“These inter-regional meetings are an excellent forum to review and target common terrorist threats affecting the MENA and Asia Pacific regions. INTERPOL is committed to continue bringing together counter-terrorism experts and representatives of INTERPOL National Central Bureaus from both regions to facilitate intelligence sharing and cooperation,” said Karel Pelán, Assistant Director of INTERPOL’s Counter-Terrorism unit.

The fourth edition of the Working Group on Combating Terrorism between the Middle East and North Africa and South Asia and the Pacific Countries gathered more than 40 officers from law enforcement agencies in 17 countries.

The meeting, co-hosted by INTERPOL and the Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates, was part of the INTERPOL Counter-Terrorism Global Initiative that assists INTERPOL member countries in the targeted regions to contain and disrupt transnational terrorist activities. The initiative is funded by the INTERPOL Foundation for a Safer World.