Brussels, 11/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) foreign ministers met in Alger, Algeria, on Monday 9 July 2012 to discuss security in the northern Saharan region and on the southern fringes of the Sahara in countries like Mali, stressing the need to combat threats to the Maghreb region by means of an integrated, coordinated approach among UMA nations.
In a joint press release, they say that terrorism and organised crime (drugs trafficking and human trafficking, illegal immigration, armed crime, financing of terrorism in whatever form and money laundering) threaten the peace of the Maghreb, Africa and the Mediterranean, and effectively combatting the said menaces will require an intergrated, preventative and coordinated approach among UMA nations as part of a broad strategy.
Alongside traditional cooperation among themselves and with Sahel nations, North African countries pledge to update agreements, adjust bilateral mechanisms and examine the option of drawing up new agreements to deal with the problem. A raft of measures and procedures was announced (special thematic meetings, creating a monitoring centre, etc). Although not directly concerned, the EU is closely monitoring the security situation in north and west africa and EU sources says that it is carrying out consultations behind the scenes. (FB/transl.fl)