The Maldives on Tuesday commenced its first ever international seminar on counter terrorism and violent extremism.
The 2-day seminar, being held in Kurumba Maldives Resort, is organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in association with the United Nations in Maldives, United Nations Women, Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI).
The seminar focuses on themes of countering terrorism and violent extremism, and the role of intelligence in this process. It brings together a large number of academicians, intelligence, law enforcement officials, and counter terrorism and counter radicalization practitioners from different countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United States and the United Kingdom. The seminar also features guest speakers and content information from experts with first-hand operational experience in today’s volatile security environment.
NCTC says the seminar is aimed at allowing participants to understand and seek solutions to face the challenges in countering terrorism and violent extremism through shared experience and knowledge. Its objectives include; facilitation of the exchange of ideas, experiences and lessons learnt; discussion of good practices in counter terrorism and violent extremism; facilitation of networking of counter terrorism and violent extremism practitioners; and discussion about the threat of terrorism to the tourist industry in countries like the Maldives.
Speaking at the opening of the seminar, Defence Minister Adam Shareef said “the seminar will be a significant milestone in the country’s work on combating terrorism and radicalisation.” “The Maldives yet small, is responsible member of the international community and it is our commitment to actively contribute towards the effort being made globally,” he said.
All countries ought to have zero tolerance to extremism and terrorism, he said, and the government attaches high priority to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
Director General of NCTC, Brigadier General Zakariya Moosa said that relations between relevant counter terrorism agencies of different countries needed to be strengthened in order to effectively combat terrorism and violent extremism. This seminar would be a platform for agencies of different countries to further boost relations, he added.
The main themes of the seminar include; countering terrorism and violent extremism through integrating instruments of national power, establishing effective counterterrorism framework, crime-terror nexus and the role of intelligence in countering terrorism and violent extremism, integration of women and youth in preventing radicalization, and strategies and policies to safeguard the tourism industry from terrorism.