New Delhi, Nov 15 (Agency) Australia’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts is set to arrive to India for the third “No Money For Terror” Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing being organised on November 18-19 with likely participation of around 75 countries. “This week I will travel to India and Thailand to strengthen our bilateral and regional economic engagement,” a statement issued by Watts read on Tuesday. “I will also take the opportunity to showcase Australia as an attractive destination for investment, work and study,” he added.
“In India, I will lead a cross-sectoral Australian delegation to the Bengaluru Tech Summit and represent Australia at the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing in New Delhi,” the Minister added. India will host the Ministerial Conference on counter-terrorism financing in New Delhi with likely participation of around 75 countries. The conference aims to progress the discussions on combating terrorist financing held by the international community in the previous two conferences in Paris (2018) and Melbourne (2019). It also intends to include discussions on technical, legal, regulatory and cooperation aspects of all facets of terrorism financing. The conference is also an attempt to set the pace for other high level official and political deliberations, focused on countering terrorist financing. According to the Indian Home Ministry, discussions at the conference will be focussed on global trends in terrorism and terrorist financing, use of formal and informal channels of funds for terrorism, emerging technologies and terrorist financing and requisite international co-operation to address related challenges.
Watts will also go to Thailand where he will represent Australia at the 2022 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok. “I look forward to working with APEC Ministers on ways to strengthen our economies and unlock new sources of growth,” he said. The Australian Minister will also sign the Australia-Thailand Strategic Economic Cooperation Arrangement (SECA) with Sansern Samalapa, Vice Minister of Commerce, Thailand. SECA will contribute to strengthening the trade and economic linkages between Australia and Thailand. “I look forward to deepening Australia’s engagement with these important partners,” the Minister said.