Ilhan Kyuchyuk hosted an event dedicated to the radicalisation of the Western Balkans

Yesterday I hosted an event dedicated to the prevention of radicalisation in Western Balkans – the role of the EU and USA. It was co-organised with the European Foundation for Democracy and The U.S. Mission to the European Union – USEU Brussels. In recent years, the challenges of terrorism, violent extremism, and radicalisation have become a joint threat to the EU and its partners in the Western Balkans. Major security challenges such as the influx of refugees, a number of foreign terrorist fighters in the region and a rise of fundamentalism undermine the security of the region. Authorities in the Western Balkans countries are additionally facing the difficult challenge of reintegrating returnees, in particular children raised in violence and exposed to the threat of home-grown extremism, which is the main driving force behind Islamic radicalism. The vulnerability of youth, minorities, and their social exclusion often lead to radicalisation. Insufficient knowledge and understanding of the triggers and factors accompany the lack of a coordinated policy response. I believe more investments and more attention from the European Union and the United States can help to reverse the negative external pressures from third countries.