Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Tuesday attended a high-level conference on counter-terrorism in Malaga, organized by the Spanish government and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism. The conference focused on human rights and the rule of law as the foundation of effective counter-terrorism efforts, protection of principled humanitarian action, victims of terrorism, the role of civil society, and the strengthening of the UN counter-terrorism architecture in preventing and combating terrorism.
Addressing the event, Grlić Radman said that human rights had always been deeply intertwined with the fight against terrorism, and that the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased isolation of vulnerable groups had only increased their exposure to radicalisation, especially online. He underscored the importance of cooperation between traditional security agencies and field professionals with regard to the social, health and education system. The minister also stressed the importance of empowering women and young people, saying that they are crucial for social cohesion and resilience.
“Terrorist organisations are taking advantage of the shortcomings in the rule of law as well as economic and social divisions to expand their presence and influence, especially in weakened countries and regions. It is therefore imperative of the international community to provide assistance and guidance to countries facing terrorist threats, both through sophisticated methods in law enforcement and through a firm response to extremism,” Grlić Radman concluded.
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