From 03 to 06 July 2023, the OSCE Program Office in Bishkek together with the Antiterrorist Center of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic (ATC SCNS KR) conducted an awareness raising and competence building training for state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic in the implementation of the state policy in countering violent extremism and terrorism. The activity took place at Lake Issyk-Kul as a part of the 10th Annual Expert Meeting on Countering Terrorism involving representatives of state bodies and experts.
The expert meeting aimed to let representatives of state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic familiarize themselves with the new Program of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on Countering Extremism and Terrorism for 2023-2027 as adopted in March 2023. During the event results of the implementation of the previous Countering Extremism and Terrorism Program were presented and discussions of major achievements and strengths as well as weaknesses and challenging areas of its implementation were held. The activity participants learnt the main goal, objectives and basic principles of the new Program of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on Countering Extremism and Terrorism for 2023-2027 and its primary areas and directions were presented. During the activity, national experts presented a draft Plan of Actions to implement the new Program and discussed with the participants the mechanisms of the implementation thereof and efforts to counter the dissemination of violent extremism in local communities, among women and the youth in particular.
This Expert Meeting provided a venue for a wide-ranging discussion of objectives and expected results set in the new Program as well as the interaction of responsible respective implementing agencies and the execution of activities provided for in the implementation thereof. Explanations concerning the content of the Program were provided along with areas/directions, objectives and activities set forth therein.
The main purpose of the activity attended by around 30 representatives of state agencies was to build capacity in their efforts to counter violent extremism and terrorism as well as to discuss the implementation of the state policy and improve cooperation and interaction in this area.
One should note that the new Program of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic on Countering Extremism and Terrorism for 2023-2027 was drafted by the ATC SCNS KR with the active support by the OSCE Program Office in Bishkek. As part of this cooperation, in June 2023, the new Program was presented on the sidelines of the 3rd Counter-Terrorism Week in New York attended by the OSCE Program Office in Bishkek, ATC SCNS KR and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT).
The 10th Annual Expert Meeting on Countering Terrorism arranged by the OSCE Program Office in Bishkek is a platform for information sharing and discussion of various aspects of the prevention of violent extremism and counter terrorism and facilitates the development and improvement of the practice in combating these threats in compliance with the national law and international principles.
