Workshop on refugee flows and terrorist fighters

Malaga hosted a workshop organised by the European project CTJust on refugee flows and terrorist fighters. The workshop brought together police, judicial and anti-terrorist experts from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Spain, France, the International University of Rabat, EUROJUST and EUROPOL.

The humanitarian crisis, which has displaced millions of people seeking refuge in neighbouring countries and entry routes to the European Union (EU), poses complex security challenges. This workshop has highlighted the need for closer cooperation between Arab and European countries to address these challenges effectively, with a focus on security measures and the protection of the human rights of refugees.

Key objectives have included promoting better coordination between officials, judges and prosecutors across borders, raising awareness of the need for improved cooperation mechanisms and supporting human rights in refugee management. In addition, the sessions presented strategies such as biometric technology and intelligence gathering to track Foreign Terrorist Fighters without compromising the welfare of refugees.

During the workshop, participants exchanged best practices in identifying and prosecuting smugglers, developed joint recommendations for managing migration flows, and proposed enhanced collaboration frameworks with EU entities such as Europol and Eurojust. The aim of these efforts is to reduce the impact of Foreign Terrorist Fighters on refugee populations, while ensuring the humane treatment of those who genuinely seek safety.

Julián Cabrero López, magistrate and key expert of the CT JUST project has pointed out that 'no step is too small when it comes to strengthening our collective response to the complex reality of refugee flows. We must take into account multiple factors, such as security, integration and the perception within host countries that their identities may be compromised or diluted. Above all, we cannot lose sight of humanitarian imperatives, even as we confront those who seek to exploit this human tragedy and the vulnerabilities of states'.