The Shura Council State of Qatar

Representatives of regional and international parliamentary associations and unions stressed the importance of cooperation and coordination between countries regarding border security particularly preventing and combating terrorism, and understanding international legal frameworks in this context, as well as assessing key national policies, discussing relevant legislative challenges, and discussing the roles of parliamentary assemblies and national parliaments and their contributions to enhancing border security.

This came during the works of the 3rd Counter-Terrorism Coordination Meeting, organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and the Doha-based UN Program Office on Parliamentary Engagement in Preventing and Countering Terrorism, in cooperation with the Shura Council.

HE Deputy Director of the UNOCT Mauro Miedico pointed out the need to focus on topics and issues related to border security and its importance in reducing terrorism, noting that these discussions would contribute to the development of mechanisms and tools that support government efforts in combating terrorism.

While chairing a session that dealt with threats to border security from terrorist groups, HE Vice-President of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism Reinhold Lopatka indicated the responsibility of parliamentarians in developing legislation and policies that support the implementation of commitments related to combating terrorism and preventing extremism.

In turn, the assembled parliamentarians expressed their deep thanks and appreciation to the State of Qatar for hosting this event, which constitutes an important opportunity for members of international parliamentary associations and unions to discuss border security based on combating terrorism and preventing extremism, praising the efforts of the State of Qatar to enhance international peace and security, and to spread the principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence among all peoples.

They reviewed the threats to border security from terrorist organizations and groups, and the legal challenges that reduce the efficiency of border security, noting the importance of coordination and cooperation to unify various efforts, and exchange information and data between countries at the national and regional levels, to develop the procedures followed in this framework.

The parliamentarians stated that although the parliamentary assemblies do not have the legislative capacity, they can monitor the work of governments and follow up on the implementation of their obligations regarding border security, especially those international commitments ratified by various countries of the world in this field, stressing the importance of pressuring governments to implement all relevant United Nations resolutions.

They pointed out that the borders historically witness many problems and multiple confrontations, and it is possible to predict the occurrence of some conflicts or abuses, pointing out the possibility of using technological development to monitor and follow up active geographical locations to avoid the occurrence of unfortunate events that may be difficult to deal with later.

The assembled parliamentarians stressed the need to develop strategies for border security within the framework of combating terrorism by cooperating in proposing initiatives and solutions that contribute to reducing organized crime and implementing United Nations resolutions and recommendations in this field.