First ad hoc dialogue on counter-terrorism cooperation with EU in Colombo

A delegation led by EU Counter-terrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove visited Sri Lanka on 11 July for the EU-Sri Lanka ad hoc dialogue on counter-terrorism cooperation, with their visit concluding today. 

The ad hoc dialogue, co-Chaired by Foreign Affairs Acting Secretary Ahmed A. Jawad and EU Counter-terrorism Coordinator de Kerchove, covered recent counter-terrorism measures, countering radicalisation and violent extremism, security cooperation, capacity building, and the listing of the LTTE by the EU. 

Discussions centred around sharing of information, experiences, technical assistance, and creating platforms to learn from best practices, as well as setting up of mutually beneficial cooperation between security and law enforcement agencies of Sri Lanka and the EU. 

The setting up of mechanisms for counter-terrorism cooperation between EU and Sri Lanka was discussed during the 22nd Joint Commission meeting held in Brussels in February. The horrific Easter Sunday attacks that brought global terrorism to Sri Lanka’s door added greater urgency to this initiative. In a gesture of solidarity and cooperation in facing this common challenge, the EU responded to the request made by Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana to the European Commission High Representative and Vice President Federica Mogherini to hold a dialogue at the earliest possible time. 

In the wake of the deep transformation of terrorism globally, and the rise of new phenomena of foreign terrorist fighters and radicalisation over social media, the dialogue provided a platform to harness the shared knowledge from countries that have been facing this threat over many years and to strengthen Sri Lanka’s capacity to prevent attacks and prepare adequate response mechanisms. 

During their visit for the ad hoc dialogue, the EU delegation also called on President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana, Secretary to the Defence Ministry General S. H. S. Kottegoda, and other stakeholders. 

The EU Counter-terrorism Coordinator was accompanied by the EU Ambassador in Sri Lanka Tung-lai Margue, European External Action Services (EEAS) Counter-terrorism Division Head John Gatte-Rutter, and EEAS South Asia Division Deputy Head Ivo Schutte. 

The Sri Lankan delegation included the Chief of National Intelligence office’s representative Col. Robin Jayasuriya, Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, Financial Intelligence Unit Director D. M. Rupasinghe, and senior officials of the Foreign Ministry’s Counter-terrorism Unit, Legal Division, and the EU and Europe Division.