EU counter terrorism coordinator visits Lebanon

The EU counter-terrorism coordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, is visiting Lebanon to take stock of the counter-terrorism dialogue between the European Union and Lebanon. Following the terrorist attacks perpetrated worldwide, the EU has adopted a counter-terrorist approach in the Middle East and North Africa that goes beyond rigorous military and security assistance. In 2016, a roadmap was agreed in which the EU expressed its commitment to support Lebanon in the areas of justice, border management, etc. and combating phenomena such as violent extremism and the financing of terrorism. The EU is also engaged in a dialogue with the Lebanese authorities on the development of a national counter-terrorism strategy and welcomes the recent launch of the national strategy to prevent violent extremism. Alongside the definition of violent extremism, nine objectives are proposed to be achieved in order to prevent and combat it.