Modi to address global meet in Delhi on terror funding today

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday will deliver the inaugural address at the third ‘No Money for Terror’ (NMFT) Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing.

In a statement, the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) said the conference will offer a unique platform for participating nations and organizations to deliberate on effectiveness of the current international regime on Counter Terrorism Financing as well as steps required to address emerging challenges.

The conference will build on the gains and learnings of the previous two conferences held in Paris in April 2018 and in Melbourne in November 2019. It will also work towards enhancing global cooperation to deny finances to terrorists and access to permissive jurisdictions to operate.

“It will be attended by about 450 delegates from across the world, including Ministers, Heads of Multilateral organisations and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Heads of Delegations,” the PMO said.

During the Conference, deliberations will be held in four sessions which will focus on ‘Global Trends in Terrorism and Terrorist Financing’, ‘Use of Formal and Informal Channels of Funds for Terrorism’, ‘Emerging Technologies and Terrorist Financing’ and ‘International Co-operation to Address Challenges in Combating Terrorist Financing’.

PM Modi will inaugurate the conference while Union Home Minister Amit Shah will conclude the event, conveying India’s determination in its fight against terrorism and its support systems for achieving success against it.

On Thursday, India said that confirmation from China is still awaited while Pakistan and Afghanistan are not participating in the international event.

However, a total of 78 countries and multilateral organisations, including Ministers from 20 countries, have confirmed their presence at the two-day conference being organised on November 18 and November 19 here in the national capital.

“A total of 78 countries and multilateral organisations are participating in the third edition of the ‘No Money For Terror’ Conference beginning from tomorrow (November 18),” said Dinkar Gupta, Director General, National Investigation Agency (NIA), India’s anti-terror agency which works under the Ministry of Home Affairs, while speaking in a press briefing.

Asked about the presence of Pakistan and Afghanistan in the conference, the NIA Director General said, “Pakistan and Afghanistan are not participating in this conference”.

On a query over the presence of China in the international event on terror financing, Secretary West (MEA) Sanjay Verma said “the participation of China is not yet confirmed”.