Arab Interior Ministers Agree on Draft Strategies to Combat Terror & Narcotics

Draft strategies to combat terrorism and narcotics in the Arab world were adopted by the Arab interior ministers at the 36th meeting of their Council convened this weekend in Tunis.

Morocco took part in the Tunis meeting with a delegation led by Interior minister Abdelouafi Laftit. In his speech made before his Arab peers, Mr. Laftit highlighted Morocco’s strategy to fight terrorism and extremism, saying the North African Kingdom backs any initiative that enhances the collective security of Arab countries.

He said that the fight against terrorism is a long term battle, citing in this regard Morocco’s “mosalaha” reconciliation program, a project which seeks to rehabilitate and integrate prisoners convicted of terrorism offenses into society.

Mr. Laftit also warned against the growing danger of links between terror groups and organized crime networks, affirming that Morocco adopts a comprehensive approach to tackle terrorism threats and smugglers of illegal migrants.

At the end of their two-day meeting, the Arab interior ministers approved a draft plan to improve Arab civil Protection as well as the recommendations of the conferences held by the General Secretariat in 2018.

The Council also endorsed the special report made by the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (Saudi Arabia) and the report on the activities made by the General Secretariat last year.

According to the Secretary General of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers Mohamed Ben Ali Koman, most serious security challenge facing the Arab countries is the return of terrorist elements from hotbeds of tension following the defeat of terror organizations such as ISIS and Al Qaeda.

He called for an updated Arab database on “terrorist fighters” and for supplying the base with all available information to confront the terrorist scourge threatening the Arab world peace, stability and security.