Against the backdrop of the terrorist attacks in recent months, the virtual counter-terrorism conference of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on 20 and 21 April will focus on the fight against extremism and radicalisation.
We are all still in the midst of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the virus of hatred, intolerance and contempt for humanity continues to spread. The terrible terrorist attack in Vienna on 2 November showed that Austria has no immunity to it either,
said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg ahead of the conference, which will be opened by Swedish Foreign Minister and this year’s OSCE Chair Ann Linde.
We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg of the pandemic’s socio-economic impact. Exclusion and lack of prospects will grow. These cracks in society provide rich breeding ground for radicalisation, especially of young people,
warns Alexander Schallenberg.
Terrorists target our social cohesion, they want to divide us through fear and hatred and shake our trust in an open society. We must oppose them decisively and with all the means that our constitutional state has to offer,
the Foreign Minister emphasises. International cooperation and the contribution of society as a whole play a crucial role in this regard.
The fight against terrorism has been a priority for Austria in its work in the context of the OSCE for many years. Particular emphasis is placed on the involvement of civil society in the fight against radicalisation and extremism. After the terrorist attack in Vienna’s city centre last November, Austria launched an initiative hand in hand with its partners such as France to prevent the smuggling of weapons that facilitate such attacks.
About the conference:
The OSCE Counter-Terrorism Conference is held annually at ministerial level. The OSCE is very active in the field of terrorism and a pioneer in preventing and combating VERLT (Violent Extremism and Radicalisation that lead to Terrorism). In the course of its OSCE Chairmanship in 2017, Austria funded a handbook on best practices on VERLT in South Eastern Europe and then in Central Asia. Currently, Austria is working with France and other partners to improve the implementation of OSCE commitments to combat illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons.
