17 Mar 2018
17-Mar-2018
Source: ASEAN Secretariat News
ASEAN, Australia sign MOU on counter terrorism
SYDNEY, 17 MARCH 2018 – Reaffirming their commitment to fight terrorism and violent extremism, ASEAN and Australia today signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Government of Australia on Cooperation to Counter International Terrorism. The MOU, which implements the 2016 ASEAN-Australia Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism, provides a framework to strengthen cooperation and collaboration between ASEAN and Australia in several areas including in law enforcement cooperation, capacity-building and technical assistance.
Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia Julie Bishop, signed on behalf of ASEAN and Australia respectively. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of the Leaders of ASEAN and Australia, attending the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydney.
The signing ceremony of the MOU was preceded by the ASEAN-Australia Counter-Terrorism Conference. The Conference addressed effective legislative frameworks and law enforcement measures to detect, prevent and disrupt cross-border terrorist movements. The participants also discussed enhancement of regional cooperation in countering terrorism financing as well as the need for coherent and comprehensive action to counter radicalisation and violent extremism.