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INTERVENTION BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF MALTA AT THE CHRISTCHURCH CALL SECOND ANNIVERSARY SUMMIT

Intervention - Christchurch

SESSION: ‘TRANSPARENCY AND REPORTING’

Thank you, President Macron, Prime Minister Ardern,

Your Majesty, Excellencies,

I am pleased to participate in this high-level discussion on a pressing issue that affects us all. I thank all the speakers who took the floor before me for their valid, clear contributions to our exchanges.

Malta is a staunch supporter of a free, open, and secure internet, that boasts a huge ability to promote connectivity, enhance social inclusiveness and foster economic growth.

At the same time, we also acknowledge the critical need for additional significant steps to be taken to counteract the misuse of the Internet by terrorist and violent extremist groups as a tool for their propaganda, which abuses the freedoms and openness of the internet.

It is appalling to see how terrorist organisations, have weaponised such an important tool as the Internet – a tool that has contributed immensely to provide well-meaning individuals with new ways of imparting and seeking knowledge and information.

Today’s meeting itself is perhaps a perfect example of the crucial relevance and potential of the Internet and of virtual technology.

Excellencies,

Malta reaffirms the pressing need to strengthen the Christchurch Call Community aimed at preventing the dissemination of illegal terrorist contents online.

We also stress the need for a multi-stakeholder approach, in which the industry works in unison with the Call Community and partner-country governments as well as academia and civil society in preventing and countering acts inspired by radical and extremist motives.

The result of the Christchurch Call Consultation Report highlighted among others the need to increase and enhance transparency on all fronts.

Transparency in reporting by all stakeholders needs to be encouraged and sought. Without concrete knowledge of the extent of the challenge and how this is being addressed, it is difficult to identify ways forward.

Referring to Malta briefly, a main focus of our work is on the prevention side and through our ‘Prevent Network’, we aim to create further resilience and strengthen our policy-development on countering radicalisation and violent extremism in all forms by bringing together a good number of government and other civil entities to the fold.

In addition, in relation to our support to the Call and in fulfilment of its objectives, Malta is proud to actively host and support the work of the International Institute

for Justice and the Rule of Law, which was launched in 2014 by the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

The Institute continues to attract members and partners – countries as well as individuals from regional, judicial, policy-making, and academic bodies – that actively contribute to best-practices in countering terrorism from their own angles and perspectives, each in his own field of activity, being policing, judicial, or legislative.

By way of conclusion, let me point out that on this second anniversary, Malta is proud to stand firmly with the Co-Chairs and the Call Community, in ensuring the enjoyment of human rights of everyone while at the same time redoubling our efforts to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online and bringing the perpetrators of such acts to justice.

Thank you for your attention.

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