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This is the first EU seminar of this type held together with the countries of Central Asia that addresses challenges posed to the EU and Central Asia by the threat of global terrorism. The relevance of the event is amplified by the increasing security risks to the Central Asian region due to the decreasing presence of international security forces in Afghanistan after the completion of the ISAF operation at the end of 2014, as well as the phenomenon of foreign fighters and the activities of ISIL (otherwise known as Daesh).
The intensification of cooperation between the EU and the Central Asian countries is a priority for the Latvian Presidency. The seminar proved that cooperation in security matters, including counter terrorism, is one direction of cooperation that is of equal interest both for the EU and the Central Asian countries.
The participants from the EU and Central Asia emphasised the need for closer cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism, especially on issues such as opposing violent extremism and reducing radicalisation, dealing with the risks posed by the phenomenon of foreign fighters, and sharing best practices in counter-terrorism legislation. During the seminar, the participants representing the EU institutions and Member States emphasised that the EU highly values practical experience gained by the Central Asian states as they encounter increased terrorism threats in the region bordering Afghanistan.
The seminar took place two weeks after the second meeting of the EU-Central Asia High Level Security Dialogue held in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, on 11 March. In a high-level political dialogue, the EU and Central Asian countries discussed security policy issues of mutual interest, including counter-terrorism. The event on 25 March in Brussels is to be regarded as a practical follow-up in one of the areas of security policy discussed at the High Level Dialogue. At the end of the seminar, conclusions were approved which outlined possible further priorities and joint activities for the EU and Central Asia in the area of counter-terrorism.
