The first Global Parliamentary Summit on Countering Terrorism took place on Thursday, 9 September in Vienna, hosted by the Austrian Parliament. The Summit gathered many Speakers and Presidents of national and international Parliaments, and aimed at setting key strategies of the counterterrorism agenda, and at exchanging best legislative practices.
The event focused on the role of Parliaments in supporting victims of terrorism, and policies on prevention of terrorism, radicalization and hate speech. A special emphasis was dedicated to the situation in the Sahel, as the global epicenter of terrorist activity has shifted from the Middle East to Africa over the last few years.
PAM President, Hon. Migliore (Italy), was one of the key panelist, and noted several critical factors, which have led the global jihadist forces to take refuge and operate in Africa. He highlighted the exploitation of local low intensity conflict situations by global terrorist groups, weak states’ governance, the increased reliance on modern-technology weapons, all coupled with the environmental degradation and lack of economic development, elements which create a fertile ground for terrorist recruitment and violent activities.
The meeting represented an opportunity for PAM, the IPU and the Interparliamentary Committee of the G5 Sahel, co-sponsoring a special “Call for the Sahel”, initiated by the Arab Parliament. The Call lays out a comprehensive
strategy of parliamentary action to address the unprecedented terrorism crisis in the Sahel region.
During the Summit, PAM delegates held several bilateral meetings, including with USG Vladimir Voronkov of UNOCT to exchange views on the situations in the Sahel and Afghanistan, and with USG Ghada Fathi Waly of UNODC to prepare for the signature of a cooperation agreement on tackling organized transnational crime, corruption, human trafficking, drugs, counterfeit medicines, small arms, money laundry and related terrorist connections.