On September 4, EWI Director Francis Finlay reported to the UN framework conference on counter-terorrism in New York on the subject of the Institute's work with Russian firm Norilsk Nikel and the Russian government.  Russia's G8 Initiative promoting public-private partnerships to counter terrorism received  overwhelming support at the special session of  the UN framework conference in New York on reviewing  anti-terrorism strategy. The EastWest Institute has been engaged in this initiative since its launch in 2006 during Russia's G8 Presidency.

At the session Mr Finlay and the Director of EWI’s Moscow Office Vladimir Ivanov presented on EWI’s experience and success in developing international cooperation, between private companies and governments, through the facilitation of informal working groups. The panel, chaired by Russia's UN chief of mission Vitaly Churkin, also included the EU counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove, UNICRI Director Dr. Sandro Calvani and representatives of Citigroup, Finmeccanica and the German Union of Industrialists. Discussion engaging an audience of about 100 diplomats, experts and media showed that a networked response has been globally recognized as a key strategy to fight the terrorist threat. The conference demonstrated that efforts to overcome existing barriers to cooperation in this area between governments, businesses and civil society groups are growing.