Countering terrorism

The Aqaba meetings on ways and means to sustain the efforts against global and regional terrorism ended on Sunday, with a broad meeting of the minds between the participants, on how best to build on the current efforts to defeat terrorism and radicalism. 

His Majesty King Abdullah attended the meetings which were also attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein and senior military, security and political officials representing Southeast Asian countries, the UN, EU and NATO. 

The meetings were valued as a big success by the participants. Jordan and Japan co-chaired the Aqaba forum which was initially launched by His Majesty King Abdullah  in 2015 to bolster security and  military   cooperation and coordination between nations to counteterrorism with a holistic approach that combines military, security, political and even economic policies and measures. 

The participants have not forgotten that terrorism is a hydra that has many heads and may indeed subside for a limited time in some areas of the world only to rise again in another with a vengeance. 

That is why regional and international  vigil must be maintained and sustained for a long time. Terrorism is known to  strike again and again in one region or another if countries relax their vigilance. 

That is why the Aqaba meetings are just one chain in a long chain  of follow-up efforts that must be pursued relentlessly. For the time being the Middle East is the hub for terrorism,  and is projected to continue to pose threats to regional and international peace and security. 

 Jordan has often sounded the alarm about the continued threats of terrorism and radicalism; holding the Aqaba meetings with international and regional communities is a way of adopting Jordan’s vision on the dangers of terrorism.