The ministerial meeting of the International Coalition against Daesh/ISIL, which took place in Marrakech and was attended by Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, concluded today.
The International Coalition against Daesh/ISIL was established in 2014 and 84 states and international organizations participate in it. The ministerial meeting was co-organized by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken with the main focus on the coordination of international efforts to combat terrorism.
During the proceedings of the meeting, Mr.Kasoulides made an intervention on the situation in Africa. He highlighted the importance of coordination of international efforts to combat terrorism and its root causes. He highlighted the role played by Cyprus during the culmination of the Coalition's efforts to defeat Daesh, and called on states to sign and ratify the Nicosia Convention which criminalises the illicit trade in cultural heritage, which is one of the sources of funding for terrorism.
He stressed that coalition states should remain vigilant as Daesh retains the ability to act destabilizingly as new fighters are recruited into its ranks. He highlighted the importance of combating foreign malign influence on the African continent, which is fuelling the activities of terrorist organisations there. He informed the Coalition members of Cyprus' intention to contribute to the whole effort by organising training programmes on counter-terrorism at the CYCLOPS Centre.
During his presence in Marrakech, Mr. Kasoulides held bilateral contacts and meetings with his counterparts from Morocco, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Georgia.
The Foreign Minister will return to Cyprus on Thursday, 12 May.
(NΓ)
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