EU member states’ foreign affairs ministers called on Monday 19 June for a boosting of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
In a conclusions document they published, the ministers stress the need for greater cooperation with the Middle East, North Africa, the Western Balkans, Turkey, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. They say this should take the form of strengthened dialogue, more projects to tackle terrorism, boosting strategic communication, greater financial support for measures taken to fight against terrorism and tackle and prevent violent extremism. Cooperation may also take the form of the mediation of security and counter-terror experts in EU delegations, the ministers add, noting that CSDP projects have an important role to play in counter-terrorism.
Another priority is strengthening international cooperation with the EU’s main strategic partners, including the United States but also other players such as the Gulf States, Israel, Iran and regional and multilateral organisations (especially the United Nations and NATO).
The Council says it is important to boost the EU’s response in key thematic domains such as preventing and tackling extremism, tackling online radicalisation and recruitment, foreign fighters, arms trafficking and the financing of terrorism. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)