Germany's contribution to the fight against global terrorism: Diplomatic efforts

Germany is working with the international community through the United Nations, NATO, the G-8 and within the European Union to coordinate anti-terrorism efforts across borders. Germany supports reform and opportunity in the Broader Middle East.

Broader Middle East Initiative

Germany is an active supporter of efforts to combat the international terrorist threat by supporting reform and opportunity in the Broader Middle East and North Africa.

To that end, Germany backs the initiative launched by President Bush at the G-8 summit in Sea Island in 2004.

It also supports broadening the European Union's Euro-Mediterranean dialogue — known as the Barcelona process — to share the achievements of globalization with countries in the Broader Middle East.

Since 1995, that program has offered North African and East Mediterranean partner states trade and aid benefits in return for economic and political cooperation and reform.

EU proposes Strategic Partnership with the Mediterranean and the Middle East (from the Foreign Office)

G-8 Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative (from the U.S. State Department)

Encouraging stability and democracy in Afghanistan

Helping Afghanistan get back on its feet and return fully to the international community of nations has been a crucial part of Germany's contribution to the fight against global terrorism.

In 2004, Germany co-hosted the International Conference on Afghanistan in Berlin. The conference saw the international community pledge aid contributions of $8.2bn to Afghanistan over the next three years.

It was the third such international gathering on Afghanistan hosted by Germany, following the UN Talks on Afghanistan in Bonn in 2001 and another international conference in 2002.

International cooperation

In the aftermath of the March 11, 2004, Madrid bombings, the European Council adopted guidelines for a common approach to the fight against terrorism.

Those measures included the creation of the new position of EU Counterterrorism Coordinator.

Germany supports the UN sanctions regime targeting members or associates of al Qaeda and the Taliban as a tool for combating terrorism on a global scale.

Germany ratified the UN International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings and is preparing the legislation for ratification of the 12th convention against the financing of terrorism.

Last updated: March 3, 2005

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