European Union Delegation to Singapore

The activity, co-organised by the EU project ESIWA+ (Enhancing the EU’s Security Cooperation in and with Asia and the Indo-Pacific) and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), compared approaches to mitigating online engagement with extremist content and off-ramping young people from pathways to radicalisation.

Practitioners at the event came from Belgium, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and EU law enforcement agency Europol.

In her opening remarks, EU Ambassador to Singapore H.E. Iwona Piórko said: “When a youth becomes caught up in destructive thoughts and activities that pose a danger to themselves and others, it is clearly important that we step in. Yet we must also ensure we design any course of action with the best interests of the young person at heart. Rehabilitative support should be as protective as it is preventative. Preventative efforts and measures to counter propaganda are critical to tackling this threat to our societies. That is why EU has supported a wide range of initiatives aimed at preventing radicalisation.”

“This symposium is part of the various strands of dialogue that exist between Singapore and the European Union in the areas of security and defence. We also amplify our efforts through international platforms. As co-chair of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, the EU promotes international dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the development of good practices to prevent and respond to terrorism worldwide. We also work closely with ASEAN, through the ASEAN Regional Forum and under the EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership, and support multiple regional initiatives focused on youth radicalisation,” she added.

Addressing the symposium, Singapore Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development, Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said: “I would like to applaud the efforts of the EU and the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) at RSIS for bringing together experts from different parts of the region to come together and share knowledge on how we can better tackle youth radicalisation. This symposium is a good opportunity for us to pool together our collective expertise to better understand the evolving terror situation, develop best practices and generate insights on how we can manage challenges and more effectively deal with the threat of terrorism. We must continue to work together as an international fraternity in the fight against terrorism.”

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