The Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib warned that the so-called Islamic State are “still a threat” while attending a meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
The coalition was founded in 2014 and comprises a total of 86 Member States, while also being represented by three international organisations: the European Union, Interpol and NATO.
Their most recent meeting was chaired by the United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Fahran, the coalition announced that €600 million will be allocated to fight the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Blinken stated that the war against the so-called Islamic State was far from over. Lahbib, meanwhile, told Belga News Agency that it is “dangerous” for the world to solely focus on the war in Ukraine while ISIS’ influence is also growing in Afghanistan and parts of Africa.
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The country of Niger in particular has been highlighted as the newest battleground for the fight against the so-called Islamic State, with the terrorist group said to be giving financial and logistical support to rebels in the country.
Belgium has already committed to a potential partnership with Niger, which includes training for police, firefighters and farmers, the premises of which were agreed during a recent meeting.
"I've just come back from a meeting with the Sahel countries,” Lahbib explained "Chad, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Niger were present and everyone is calling for a global approach."
