Rabat: 14/02/2019

ISESCO condemns European Commission’s position towards KSA

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) strongly condemned the European Commission’s negative move to add the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ISESCO Member State, to the blacklist of countries posing threat to the EU for lax controls on terrorism financing and money laundering.

Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, ISESCO Director General, said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as an active partner in the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and founding member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum, has begun implementing a strategic vision and new effective initiatives to combat terrorist messages and disrupt financing terrorism.

ISESCO Director General was surprised at the European Commission’s disregard of Saudi Arabia’s notable achievements in the fight against terrorism including the establishment of the Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology (GCCEI) in Riyadh, the National Cybersecurity Authority and  a new independent domestic intelligence and counterterrorism authority; intensifying efforts to fight terrorist messages, imposing stricter control on the banking sector, developing counterterrorism programmes through the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue and tightening sanctions on terrorism funding.

At the regional and international levels, Saudi Arabia has also reaffirmed its commitment to combat funding terrorism within its territories and in the Gulf region. In addition to many of its positive initiatives in the fight against terrorism, Saudi Arabia co-chairs with the US the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC).

ISESCO Director General has urged the European Commission to reverse its decision in respect of the local, regional and international great efforts the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia exerts in the fight against all forms of terrorism.