BRICS Finalises Counter-terrorism Action Plan, to be Adopted at Security Meeting in Aug

An action plan aimed at strengthening result-oriented cooperation among the BRICS countries to combat terrorism, radicalisation and terror financing will be adopted at a meeting of the national security advisors of the grouping next month. The Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday that the action plan was finalised at a meeting of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) that took place virtually on July 28 and 29.

"The BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan is one of the key deliverables during India's chairship of BRICS and will be adopted at the meeting of BRICS National Security Advisors scheduled next month," the MEA said. BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade.

India has been strongly pitching for deeper cooperation among the BRICS member countries in dealing with terrorism, extremism and radicalisation. At the CTWG meeting, the BRICS countries exchanged views on the assessment of the threat from terrorism at national, regional and global level and resolved to further enhance counter-terrorism cooperation in line with the action plan, the MEA said in a statement.

It said the countries also condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The 6th meeting of the CTWG was held under the chairship of India. "The main outcome of the working group meeting was the finalisation of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan containing specific measures to implement the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted by BRICS Leaders in 2020," the MEA said. "The action plan is aimed at further strengthening result-oriented cooperation between BRICS countries in areas such as preventing and combating terrorism, radicalisation, financing of terrorism, misuse of internet by terrorists, curbing travel of terrorists, border control, protection of soft targets and information sharing," it said.

Mahaveer Singhvi, joint secretary for counter-terrorism in the MEA, chaired the CTWG meeting while senior counter-terrorism officials from all BRICS countries participated in it.

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