In line with the implementation of the United Nations strategy to combat all forms of terrorism, the State of Qatar has adopted for years a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of terrorism within the framework of its policy to combat terrorism regionally and internationally.
Qatar did not hesitate to launch initiatives and provide contributions aiming at enhancing the overall role of the international coalition to combat the financing of all organizations having relations to terror activities. The State of Qatar as an active part of the Global Coalition Against Daesh has been fighting terrorism in all its forms and has been coordinating closely with the United Nations on fighting terrorism and its financing by implementing all Security Council resolutions and updating domestic laws and regulations accordingly.
Qatar has also strengthened its counter-terror legislation and set new rules for defining terrorism and the financing of terrorism. In 2007, Qatar established the National Counter Terrorism Committee at the Ministry of Interior in accordance with the cabinet decision No (7). In order to combat all forms of terror and its financing and protect its financial system, Qatar issued a law on combating money laundering and terrorism financing. This confirms Qatar’s continued commitment to combating money laundering and terrorist financing in all its forms, in accordance with the latest international standards adopted by major international organizations.
The National Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism Committee, which is one of the largest security committees in the country, is responsible for protecting Qatar’s financial system from the risks of money laundering and terrorism financing.
Qatar has been an active member of the international coalition to combat the financing of ISIS and continuously stresses the importance of international cooperation in combating terrorism, therefore, Qatar has not hesitated to provide maximum support to its partner countries/organizations to enhance the overall role of the coalition. During his participation in two-day ‘No Money for Terror’ Ministerial Conference, held in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs H E Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi pointed out that Qatar has taken strict measures to combat terrorism and adopted national legislation reflecting the international instruments to which it has acceded in compliance with international law.
Al Muraikhi explained that the last of the measures taken by Qatar in this aspect was issuance in September of Law No. 20/ 2019 on combating money laundering and terrorist financing, which includes its obligations under the 40 recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
He added that Qatar is actively participating in the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), which includes the GCC countries and the United States.
Reiterating Qatar’s support for any effort in this regard, H E Al Muraikhi stressed about the risks posed by the lack of coordination among regional states as a result of the tensions and crises. Combating terror, terrorism financing needs cooperation in exchanging information on terrorist financial networks for coordinated joint action against terrorism.
