17-9-2023 (JAKARTA) Indonesia’s National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) held a bilateral consultation meeting with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to enhance their cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
According to a statement released on Saturday, BNPT head Rycko Amelza Dahniel stated that the meeting, which took place in Canberra on Thursday, September 14, 2023, was a routine annual gathering aimed at strengthening anti-terrorism cooperation. It also served as a platform to implement the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on countermeasures for terrorism and violence-based extremism between the Indonesian and Australian governments.
Dahniel highlighted that the meeting focused on assessing terrorist threats and establishing priorities for future counterterrorism efforts. Additionally, the importance of cooperation and collaboration in combating terrorism was emphasized.
“This multidisciplinary bilateral consultation meeting demonstrates the close relationship between the two countries and the significance of stakeholder collaboration in counterterrorism,” Dahniel remarked.
Richard Feakes, the Australian ambassador for counter-terrorism, expressed appreciation for the existing counterterrorism collaborations between Indonesia and Australia. He emphasized that Indonesia is a crucial partner for Australia in the fight against terrorism.
During the meeting, the parties specifically addressed the threat of online radicalization targeting young people, as well as the activities of terrorist groups and terror financing.
Both Indonesia and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing cooperation through dialogue in bilateral, regional, and multilateral forums, as well as through technical collaboration.
