APEC sponsors secure travel workshop

MANILA, Philippines - A Secure Travel Workshop on countering foreign terrorist fighter travel was held last week on the margins of the APEC Counter Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) meeting in Cebu City.

This self-funded project, sponsored by the United States, aims to raise awareness of participants’ understanding of the threat that foreign terrorist fighter (FTF) travel poses to the region and expand participants’ understanding of the mechanisms that exist to help mitigate that threat.   

The workshop provided individuals from working-level customs, border, transportation, interior and foreign ministries the opportunity to develop or reinforce the capacities to prevent FTF travel.  It also focused on the aspects of the FTF travel problem that are most relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.  

This project will further the implementation of the APEC consolidated counter-terrorism and secure trade strategy by enhancing participants’ understanding of the threat of FTF travel in the region; increasing knowledge of both responsibilities regarding and good practices for addressing FTF travel; and increasing participation of APEC member economies in international information sharing mechanisms on FTF travel.

APEC represents an ideal forum to host a workshop on this important topic because it provides member economies with opportunities for regionally-tailored capacity building, information-sharing, and collaboration in addressing threats to economic growth such as terrorism.  

The CTWG is particularly well suited to conduct this sort of workshop because it has a leading role in helping implement the CT/ST strategy’s overarching secure travel goal of supporting “the secure, efficient and resilient movement of travelers across the region.” The CTWG supports programs that will strengthen APEC member economies’ collaboration in countering foreign terrorist fighters, and promoting exchange of information regarding actions/movements of terrorist organizations and individuals.

Invited were speakers from international organizations like the International Civil Aviation Organization and the UN Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate as well as speakers from the member economies.