RIYADH — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has announced that the Kingdom joined the presidency of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh Africa Focus Group, along with the US, Morocco, Italy and Niger.

Prince Faisal and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken chaired on Thursday the ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition against Daesh hosted in Riyadh.

He welcomed the establishment of a focus group to combat Daesh in the Khorasan Province in Afghanistan, saying this group will be an essential pillar for mitigating the presence and spread of the terrorist organization in the area.

Prince Farhan explained that the fight against extremism and terrorism requires everyone to make additional efforts to win the minds and hearts. "Media, cultural and educational tools can combat the terrorist influence, and their paramount importance can be utilized to provide a vibrant, practical model for a better future based on tolerance, openness, sustainable development and prosperity, as exemplified by the Saudi Vision 2030 and similar initiatives. Such initiatives prepare young people to become the makers of the future, which is among the Saudi Vision's goals and the pillars of its achievements," he said.

The minister stressed that Saudi Arabia always believed that the path to security, stability, development and prosperity required permanent and collective efforts to combat terrorism and its criminal arms and confront extremist ideology that contradicts all religious, human and moral values.

Prince Faisal added: "Out of the belief of the Kingdom in fighting deviated ideologies, uprooting terrorism and renouncing hatred, the Kingdom has embarked on establishing several centers to combat terrorism and extremist ideologies, the most important of which is the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (Etidal), which aims to combat extremist ideology, spread the principles of tolerance, promote a culture of moderation, combat extremist activities and curtail their effects, and organize media campaigns to reduce the media impact of Daesh, in cooperation with our regional and international partners."