Coordination and interoperability of databases in the fight against terrorism

Algiers hosted the African forum, ‘a further step in the fight against terrorism with a European-transregional perspective, promoting respect for human rights, in line with technical interoperability and legal clarity of intelligence and information exchange mechanisms.’

This forum is a new step in the training plan of the European CT-Just project, in close coordination with the African Union’s Continental Centre of Excellence, for all matters related to the fight against terrorism and the prevention of violent extremism.

The meeting was marked by several strategic objectives, in particular promoting the exchange of experiences on models of inter-institutional coordination in the field of intelligence, with special emphasis on European fusion centres and their applicability to African contexts. Police specialists highlighted the structural and strategic elements that define the European vision of Fusion Centres, including the importance of having a clear legal framework that defines roles, responsibilities and access to data between intelligence, police and justice agencies. They also highlighted the added value of a culture of exchange based on operational trust, beyond institutional hierarchy.

The discussions and exchanges of views focused, among other topics, on the challenges of database interoperability and mechanisms for national, regional and transregional cooperation, with a holistic vision that encompassed the local, regional and international levels. This unprecedented initiative, jointly organised by CT-Just and the African Union through its Centre of Excellence, has brought together more than 40 participants and representatives from African and European organisations and institutions. The forum stood out for its highly innovative nature and the firm commitment of the CT-Just project led by FIAP to promote joint approaches to transregional and transnational threats, a commitment sustained throughout its four years of implementation.

At the closing ceremony, the police commissioner, FIAP expert in security and counterterrorism for the CT-Just project, emphasized the satisfaction and objectives achieved, as it had been an “extremely innovative forum and meeting, where a firm step had been taken towards more effective and inclusive coordination of the fight against terrorism, from a transcontinental perspective, led by a European project committed to Africa and human rights in the context of the global fight against terrorism.”