The Office of the United Nations (UN) Parliamentary Participation in Preventing and Combating Terrorism in Doha was officially opened yesterday.

His Excellency Speaker of the Shura Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, and the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism at the UN  Vladimir Voronkov inaugurated the first-of-its-kind UN office in the region and the world.

Set up under the Memorandum of Understanding and the signed agreement between the Shura Council and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the UN office and its activities will cover all parliaments of the world.

HE Speaker of the Shura Council said in his speech at the opening ceremony that the establishment of this office in Doha on this historic day came in appreciation of the UN and the international community for Qatar’s distinguished role in combating terrorism under the leadership and wisdom of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his firm policy in the field of combating terrorism in all its forms.

He added that the joint work between the Shura Council and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism led to the signing of an MoU between the two sides in February 2019, and a subsequent agreement last November, through the exchange of letters, to establish this office.

HE Al Mahmoud added that all parliaments of the world will benefit from this office's programs and activities, and it will be an important qualitative leap in the international community’s efforts to prevent and combat terrorism.

HE further summarized the office's tasks in undertaking joint initiatives to support the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and relevant Security Council resolutions in the field of combating terrorism and violent extremism leading to terrorism, conducting research and analysis, and carrying out work to support the prevention and combating of terrorism, including enacting new legislation around the world and helping to formulate model parliament-led counter-terrorism legislation, policies and strategies.

The office will also undertake major initiatives within the framework of the UN Program and the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the role of parliaments in addressing terrorism and violent extremism leading to terrorism.

It will also support the establishment of operation of a global parliamentary network, creation, and maintenance of a web platform, and production of materials, publications, and multimedia resources to support activities to prevent and combat terrorism.

His Excellency praised the efforts of HE Under-Secretary-General of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism at the UN Vladimir Voronkov and recognized the great and fruitful work he had done to launch the office.

His Excellency also praised the efforts of HE President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Duarte Pacheco, who supported the initiative to establish the office since its inception and was keen to continue cooperation and coordination for the success of the office's work and implementation of its tasks.

For his part, Voronkov lauded Qatar’s efforts and leadership in combating terrorism and its support for the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism. He extended thanks and appreciation to HH the Amir for his strong support for counter-terrorism efforts.

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Cover Image Credit and Source: QNA