Representatives of all seven BIMSTEC member states met in New Delhi on September 28-29 for the 11th meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (JWG-CTTC), focusing on strengthening regional cooperation against terrorism and transnational crimes.
Hosted by the Government of India, the two-day meeting brought together delegations from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The meeting was chaired by Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, Additional Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India.
Emerging security threats discussed
The participating countries discussed a range of traditional and emerging non-traditional security threats confronting the BIMSTEC region.
The deliberations also covered measures to strengthen cooperation and collaboration among member states in countering terrorism and transnational crime.
Participants made recommendations on a wide range of issues aimed at enhancing regional coordination and addressing evolving security challenges.
Five areas of sub-group cooperation reviewed
The meeting also considered reports from various sub-groups operating under the BIMSTEC JWG-CTTC.
These included the sub-group on human trafficking, which focuses on cooperation to counter trafficking-related crimes.
The meeting also reviewed the work of the sub-group on prevention of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals.
Another sub-group focuses on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, while the sub-group on legal and law enforcement issues addresses cooperation in these areas.
The participants also discussed the work of the sub-group on cooperation in countering radicalisation and terrorism.
The meeting provided a platform for BIMSTEC member states to review cooperation across these areas and consider further measures to strengthen collective efforts against terrorism and transnational crime in the region.
