US hosts Quad Counterterrorism Working Group meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii

WASHINGTON: The US hosted representatives from India, Japan and Australia, for the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii from December 19-21, "to make tangible progress on pressing challenges within the region and support a free and open Indo-Pacific." The Quad, officially the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a group of four countries: the United States, Australia, India, and Japan.

The Quad convenes four like-minded regional partners - the United States, Australia, India, and Japan - to make tangible progress on pressing challenges within the region and support a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient, the US State Department said in a release.

The US interagency delegation was led by the Acting Principal Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Gregory LoGerfo.

"As part of the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group's efforts, this multi-day event included presentations and a tabletop exercise focused on enhancing Quad cooperation in response to an overwhelming terrorist incident in the Indo-Pacific region," the release read. The United States, Australia, India, and Japan, are four like-minded regional partners which convene under the Quad to address urgent issues facing the area and to promote an inclusive, resilient, free and open Indo-Pacific.

"Discussions included exchanging information on ever-evolving terrorism threats, further developing regional coordination mechanisms, and countering terrorist use of emerging technologies," the release added. The participants, in the meeting investigated the capabilities and support that the Quad could provide, as well as how the Quad could work together to support the Indo-Pacific countries' current competencies.