OSCE promotes public-private partnerships in South-Eastern Europe to counter terrorist financing and radicalization

SARAJEVO, 8 December 2010 - Experts from governments and the private sector in South-Eastern Europe are discussing how to best combat terrorist financing and radicalization that lead to terrorism at an OSCE-organized workshop that began in Sarajevo today.

"Terrorism is a pervasive threat that cannot be successfully countered by state authorities alone but requires the support and engagement of the business community, civil society and media alike," said Reinhard Uhrig, Advisor on Anti-Terrorism Issues at the OSCE Secretariat. "The OSCE is actively promoting the development of public-private partnerships in countering terrorism."

The three-day workshop agenda includes a focus on public-private co-operation to block terrorist financing channels, including misuse of non-profit organizations.

"The abuse of charities for terrorist purposes is completely unacceptable" said Michelle Russell, Head of Compliance at the Charity Commission for England and Wales. "It is vital that both government and the non-profit sector itself ensure that charities are robustly protected from abuse. At the same time, the legal and regulatory framework also must allow charities' vital work to support legitimate beneficiaries to continue."

Co-operation among state authorities, civil society and the media to combat radicalization and violent extremism is another topic at the workshop.

"To combat terrorism effectively, we have to isolate violent extremists from the people they pretend to serve," said Karin von Hippel, Senior Advisor in the Office of the United States Coordinator for Counterterrorism. "We must work collaboratively, including with non-traditional actors such as NGOs, foundations, academic institutions, and private businesses, which are some of the most capable and credible partners in local communities."

The workshop is organized by the OSCE Action against Terrorism Unit in co-operation with the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina and with support of the OSCE Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United States and the Charity Commission for England and Wales sponsored the workshop.

Foreign Ministers from the OSCE's 56 participating States in 2007 adopted a decision that called on the Organization to promote the involvement of civil society and the business community in counter-terrorist work.