BIMSTEC meet focuses on collective efforts to counter terrorism, transnational crimes

Delegates discussed and made recommendations on various issues to bolster cooperation in countering terrorism.

The 10th meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime was held today in New Delhi. During the meeting hosted by Indian government, delegates discussed traditional and emerging non-traditional security threats in the BIMSTEC region, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release. The delegates from BIMSTEC member states like Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand made recommendations on various issues to bolster cooperation in countering terrorism and transnational crimes in the region.

The delegates also spoke on the implementation of the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in combating international terrorism, transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking, the MEA said in the press release. During the meeting, the delegates also discussed institutional mechanisms for CTTC cooperation, information sharing system, and capacity building for BIMSTEC countries. Sanjay Verma, Secretary(West), Ministry of External Affairs, addressed the inaugural session of the meeting.

"The meeting discussed and endorsed the reports of the meetings of various sub-groups. The delegates also deliberated on different aspects of implementation of the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking, which entered into force on 16 March 2021 upon ratification by all Member States," the MEA said in the press release. Sanjay Verma emphasised the need for collective efforts in countering terrorism and transnational crimes through enhanced cooperation in capacity building, information exchange, extradition and legal assistance. Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism, Ministry of External Affairs of India, chaired the meeting.

"India is the lead country for the Security Pillar under the BIMSTEC framework. Under the Security Pillar, the mechanism of BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (JWG-CTTC), oversees the work of six Sub-Groups on (a) Intelligence Sharing (b) Legal and Law Enforcement (c) Countering Radicalization and Terrorism (d) Anti- Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (e) Human Trafficking and (f) Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursor Chemicals," the Ministry of External Affairs said in the press release. (ANI)