AU, Islamic group vow cooperation on fight against terrorism in Africa

The African Union (AU) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have signed a partnership agreement on the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in Africa.

The AU Commission and the General Secretariat of OIC signed the agreement in Istanbul, Turkey, on the margins of the Summit for Peace organized on the occasion of the commemoration of the Centenary of the Battle of Gallipoli, according to a statement from AU on Tuesday.

The agreement is a follow-up to the communiqué adopted by the meeting of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) held at the level of Heads of State and Government in Nairobi on Sept. 2, 2014, according to the statement.

In that communiqué, the PSC welcomed the generous contribution of a sum of 10 million U.S. dollars made by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, in support of the AU's efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism and to strengthen the partnership between the AU and the OIC in this area.

The OIC contribution will be used to enhance the role of relevant institutions, including the judiciary in the fight against terrorism, border management, the fight against money laundering, as well as the efforts to combat radicalization and address conditions conducive to the emergence of violent extremism and terrorism in Africa, said the statement.

The contribution will also be used to support processes aimed at furthering security cooperation at regional level, as well as other related projects.

The two organizations plan to carry out a number of joint activities in support of the efforts to promote peace, security and stability on the African continent.