The United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) together with the State of Qatar yesterday held a soft launch of the International Hub on Behavioral Insights to Counter Terrorism in Doha.

The virtual event saw the attendance of His Excellency Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani; Undersecretary-General of UNOCT Vladimir Voronkov; Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Chairman of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee, Ministry of Interior, Major General Abdul Aziz Abdullah Al Ansari; among other top officials.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the inauguration of International Hub on Behavioural Insights to Counter Terrorism in Doha is an important occasion that carries great significance, adding that the hub is 1st of its kind in the region & world. #QNA pic.twitter.com/x9htoyk1Z1

— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) December 7, 2020

According to the UN, the International Hub on Behavioral Insights to Counter Terrorism has been set up as a UNOCT program in Doha under an agreement signed between UNOCT and Qatar on December 15, 2019, to perform three main functions.

These include: 1. conducting and advancing research in behavioral sciences to understand better the factors that lead to violent extremism and terrorism. 2. Providing capacity-building assistance to the Member States, other organizations to establish programs and projects that integrate behavioral insights to counter terrorism. 3. Promoting communication, outreach and partnerships to exchange expertise in this field.

On the occasion, HE the FM underlined that the inauguration of the International Hub in Doha marks an important occasion that holds ‘great significance.’

The hub is the first-of-its-kind in the region and the world, he said.

Qatar’s hosting of the hub echoes the strength of the cooperation with United Nations in achieving its goals, HE the FM said, adding that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had emphasized this sentiment during his UN General Assembly speech.

Opening this hub in Doha reaffirms Qatar’s commitment to further consolidate its partnership with the UN and its active participation in global efforts to counter terrorism, Sheikh Mohamed said.

He also mentioned that the country’s commitment to launch the hub follows from Qatar’s policy based on the Islamic culture of rejecting violence in all forms, regardless of the motives and reasons.

Additionally, Qatar also believes that counter-terrorism requires a comprehensive, regional and international framework that deals with the root causes of terrorism, he mentioned.

This hub will focus efforts on children and youth to prevent them from falling prey to extremist groups.

Qatar has been working on a national level and with the United Nations to protect children and youth from extremism, he pointed out.

He further said that Qatar is optimistic regarding the role of the UNOCT office, will support it, and is proud to be among its donor states.

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Source: MOFA Qatar