Qatar renews commitment to combat terror

Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi has reiterated that Qatar will remain committed to working within the framework of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum and bilateral relations, and with all international organisations working in the fight against violent extremism to achieve the objectives of the international community in consolidation of the security and stability of states and peoples, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

Addressing the Eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum held in New York, on the sidelines of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Muraikhi said that Qatar had provided US$5 million in financial support to the Global Fund (Gcerf), which addresses the root causes of violent extremism.

He also stressed that Qatar is one of the largest donor countries and is the only Arab country in it, noting to the next meeting of the Fund will be held in Doha from Dec 5 to 6.

Muraikhi reviewed the steps and measures taken by the government of Qatar recently, as it continues to strengthen military and security cooperation, and supports the US-led International Alliance against ISIS group (Daesh) with all Qatar's national and field capabilities.

He stressed Qatar's keenness to strengthen bilateral cooperation to combat terrorism and deprive terrorist groups of funding sources, referring to the bilateral agreements of cooperation and coordination signed by Qatar, including the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last July with US to combat the financing of terrorism, besides making certain related arrangements with other countries such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

Muraikhi also referred to the measures taken by Qatar to strengthen the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and anti-terrorism financing system and to ensure that the best international standards and increasing and changing requirements are met to achieve financial integrity.

He also highlighted the importance of the Eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Global Forum to Combat Terrorism, which comes in the midst of the achievements of the international campaign against terrorist organisations, stressing the importance of further intensifying bilateral, regional and international cooperation in the international campaign against terrorism.

Muraikhi also called for intensifying joint efforts to close the gaps that terrorists are trying to exploit to carry out their heinous acts, in accordance with a strategy that takes into account all military, security, economic and intellectual aspects.

At the end of Qatar's statement, Muraikhi stressed that the defeat and the drying up of terrorism requires an effective and binding international strategy that takes into account the roots and causes of extremism, especially poverty, ignorance, unemployment, marginalisation and other human rights violations. - BERNAMA