The European Union and Central Asian countries convened in Brussels on 8 October for their second Counterterrorism Dialogue, reinforcing joint efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
Representatives from the EU, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan engaged in discussions on evolving terrorist threats in key theatres, overview of internal threats, engagement in multilateral fora and strategies for prosecuting, rehabilitating and reintegrating foreign terrorist fighters. The meeting also addressed countering violent online propaganda and radicalisation.
The EU underscored the necessity of upholding the rule of law and human rights in all counterterrorism measures, ensuring that security efforts remain effective, proportionate and rights based.
The EU welcomed the productive and substantive exchange. As an annual forum, the Dialogue will continue in 2027.
Ahead of the Dialogue, experts from the EU and Central Asian countries gathered on 7 October for a technical exchange on prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees, sharing best practices and key lessons learned.