A two-day High-Level Conference on “Strengthening International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and Building Agile Border Security Mechanisms – The Kuwait Phase of the Dushanbe Process” is concluding in Kuwait City today.

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) says the Conference is jointly organized by the State of Kuwait, the Republic of Tajikistan and the UNOCT.

The event has reportedly brought together Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and/or Ministers with responsibility for Counter-Terrorism, senior officials and counter-terrorism experts primarily from the League of Arab States, Central Asia, Africa, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as Member States of the UN Security Council, United Nations entities, international and regional organizations, academia, and representatives from academia, civil society, and the private sector, including youth, women and human rights actors.

The Qatar News Agency (QNA) says the high-level conference brought together more than 450 participants, including 33 ministers, representatives of UN specialized agencies, 23 international and regional organizations, and 13 civil society organizations.

The conference has reportedly provided a pivotal platform to enhance regional and international cooperation on border security to combat terrorism and its financing.  It also provides an opportunity to exchange experiences and visions, discuss lessons learned from common challenges and ways to confront threats arising from terrorism.

According to the UNOCT, this joint event has focused on preventing the movement of terrorists, enhancing collaboration, and building stronger partnerships to support more effective and agile border security and counter-terrorism measures.

The Conference is especially important as it will broaden the scope and impact of the Dushanbe Process beyond Central Asia.  This represents a new and significant development in counterterrorism cooperation around the world.

The outcomes of the event will be reflected in the Kuwait Declaration that will be issued at the end of the Conference.