The opening ceremony of the Tenth International Scientific and Practical Conference of the RATS SCO and the Second CIS Conference on Combating Terrorism and Extremism took place in Tashkent.
The event was attended by representatives of authorized bodies of the SCO and CIS member states, working structures of the CIS bodies, and delegations of international organizations.
Thus, addressing the conference, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Security Service of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Major General B. Tursunov, noted that, like other countries in the world, Uzbekistan has faced various forms of terrorism and extremism over the years of its independent development.
“Counteracting these security threats has allowed us to form a national model and experience in this area. At the same time, our approach to combating terrorism and extremism continues to evolve. We are adapting to new challenges and threats”, the speaker noted.
It was emphasized that the turning point in many respects was the adoption of the National Strategy of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Countering Extremism and Terrorism for 2021-2026 and the Action Plan for its implementation. These documents outline the main areas of interaction between law enforcement agencies, government and administrative bodies, civil society institutions, foreign partners, and international organizations.
“Special attention is paid to social and psychological work with former and potential adherents of extremist ideas, their education, employment, and, in general, the creation of conditions for self-realization. These transformations and approaches are already yielding real results and are receiving high-level international recognition. In particular, since 2019, 531 repatriates from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan have been returned to Uzbekistan as part of 5 humanitarian campaigns “Mehr”. They were provided with comprehensive social, medical, and other assistance. As a result, 90.2% of repatriates today lead a modern lifestyle, and 9.8% profess traditional Islam”, B. Tursunov noted.
