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Secretariat - Action against Terrorism Unit

Public-private partnerships

The primary responsibility for preventing and countering terrorism, as well as for managing the consequences of terrorist acts, rests with states. However, given the nature and scale of today's constantly evolving terrorist threat, states alone cannot successfully counter terrorism without the deployment of all elements of national power, drawing on the business community and civil society as a whole.

The international community recognizes the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in countering terrorism. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy encourages PPPs and the G8 has launched a "Global Forum for Partnerships between States and Businesses to Counter Terrorism" (Moscow, November 2006), which resulted in the G8 Strategy for Partnerships between States and Businesses to Counter Terrorism.

Likewise, the OSCE strives to involve the private sector as much as possible in its counter-terrorism activities and constantly aims at developing and promoting PPPs, in particular with regard to supply chain security, travel document security, transport security, combating the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, countering terrorism financing as well as protecting and promoting human rights in the fight against terrorism.

In order to further explore the potential of such co-operation, to identify existing gaps and best practices, the OSCE organized a high-level political conference on PPPs with the theme "Partnership of State Authorities, Civil Society and the Business Community in Combating Terrorism", an initiative of the United States of America and the Russian Federation. The conference was held in Vienna on 31 May and 1 June 2007.

Organized thanks to generous extra-budgetary contributions from the OSCE Spanish Chairmanship and the United States, 320 participants from 58 OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation attended the event, as well as experts from 20 international organizations and representatives of 41 civil society organizations and businesses.

Participants acknowledged the need for joint counter-terrorism efforts by state authorities and the private sector, taking into consideration the relevant functions and specific expertise of all partners involved. These partnerships should be based on the principles of voluntary co-operation and mutual trust, providing better security and clear benefits to all parties.

For more information, please contact the ATU directly.

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An OSCE conference on partnerships between state authorities, civil society and the business community in combating terrorism was held in Vienna, 31 May - 1 June 2007. (OSCE)

An OSCE conference on partnerships between state authorities, civil society and the business community in combating terrorism was held in Vienna, 31 May - 1 June 2007. (OSCE)

"This conference illustrates the unique role of the OSCE in the crafting of international and national networks across the OSCE area to address one of the most troubling questions of our times - how to combine forces in the struggle against terrorism."OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, speaking at the conference on public-private partnerships in combating terrorism.

Documents

United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy

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Resolution adopted by the General Assembly, 20 September 2006

Decision on Public-Private Partnerships in Countering Terrorism

PDF English (19.1 Kb), French (15.1 Kb), German (234.9 Kb), Italian (244.6 Kb), Russian (151.3 Kb), Spanish (14.9 Kb)
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Decisions, 15th OSCE Ministerial Council, Madrid, 29 and 30 November 2007

Decision on Protecting Critical Energy Infrastructure from Terrorist Attacks

PDF English (19 Kb), French (14.8 Kb), German (234.9 Kb), Italian (244.6 Kb), Russian (150.8 Kb), Spanish (14.6 Kb)
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Decisions, 15th OSCE Ministerial Council, Madrid, 29 and 30 November 2007

PPP Conference - Summary by the representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office

PDF English (419.8 Kb)
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OSCE Political Public-Private Partnership Conference: "Partnership of State Authorities, Civil Society and the Business Community in Combating Terrorism", Vienna, 31 May - 1 June 2007.

The Role of Civil Society in Preventing Terrorism

PDF English (249.7 Kb), Russian (513.5 Kb)
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Report from an informal working level meeting organized by ODIHR in Barcelona (Spain) on 14-16 March 2007.