Pakistan, EU Agree to Boost Counterterrorism Cooperation

Pakistan and the European Union (EU) have agreed to strengthen cooperation at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, to advance a coherent counterterrorism approach, according to a Foreign Office (FO) statement issued on Thursday, October 22. The agreement came during the 10th round of the Pakistan-EU Bilateral Counterterrorism Dialogue in Islamabad.

Delegations

The Pakistani delegation was led by Dr Fareha Bugti, director general (counterterrorism), and the EU side by Anna Strazska, special envoy for counterterrorism at the European External Action Service.

Key Outcomes

• Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and reaffirmed their commitment to combating it.

• The EU condemned recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, expressed solidarity with affected civilians and recognised the value of Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts.

• They stressed that effective multilateralism is essential to building lasting international consensus on terrorism, and expressed concern at the security implications of the situation in Afghanistan.

• They discussed evolving threats, including terrorists’ exploitation of cyberspace and information and energy resources, and exchanged best practices on preventing violent extremism, terrorism financing and radicalisation.

• They identified priority areas for cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to regular, institutionalised engagement. The next round will be held in Brussels at a mutually convenient date next year.