The foreign minister, Kristian Jensen, announced at the anti-Islamic State (IS) coalition meeting in Rome yesterday that Denmark would contribute a further 28.5 million kroner to help curb the number of foreign fighters going to IS, cut off sources of income and resist IS propaganda.
The funds are designed to limit IS’s financial capabilities in the region, facilitate exit programs for people who want to escape extremist environments, and aid local NGO co-operation.
“Denmark has good competencies in these areas, so I am pleased that we are now focusing more on these aspects of the fight,” said Jensen.
“Meanwhile, it’s essential that we stabilise the liberated areas early on as an integrated part of the strategy to fight IS. It is imperative that we ensure that the liberated areas have basic services, security and justice.”
READ MORE: Danish women taking their children along to join Islamic State
Still redeploying F-16s
Jensen confirmed that the coalition was also discussing the ongoing military progress in Iraq – in particular to liberate more civilians from the stranglehold of IS. This includes Denmark’s intention to redeploy its F-16 fighter jets later this year.
The meeting in Rome was led by the Italian foreign minister, Paolo Gentiloni, and the US secretary of state, John Kerry, and consisted of a coalition group of 25 nations.
