UAE STATEMENT AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON COUNTER-TERRORISM

Mr. President,

At the outset, I would like to join my colleagues in expressing our sincere condolences to Your Excellency, Simon Coveney, and to the family of the Irish Peacekeeper who was killed today by callous attack while on duty in southern Lebanon. We wish a speedy recovery to all those injured.

Mr. President,

I thank the Republic of India for organizing this important discussion on the international community’s approach to combating terrorism. I would also like to thank Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Voronkov, and Acting Executive Director, Mr. Chen, for their valuable briefings. I have also listened to the moving briefing by Ms. Anjali Vijay Kulthe.

Mr. President,

Over the past two decades, and through this Organization, we have enacted many polices and measures to address the threat that terrorists pose to international peace and security. Most notably, this includes the historic adoption of Security Council resolution 1373, which responds to one of the greatest challenges of this era that undermines stability as well as prosperity. Despite the significant efforts made by the international community, international terrorist threats continue to evolve and spread through the use of advanced methods and complex tactics. Terrorist groups continue to exploit natural resources to finance their operations and use modern technology to launch cross-border terrorist attacks. To further the threats of this scourge, terrorists has also taken advantage of the absence of state authority across several regions and the dispersal of international focus due to the large number of crises and different priorities.

Mr. President,

We have made great strides towards strengthening international cooperation, building capacities, and developing effective strategies as well as the means to combat terrorism. However, we also realize that there is still a long way to go to eradicate terrorism. Therefore, we must strengthen international momentum and remain vigilant in identifying and addressing shortcomings and preventing the exploitation of gaps. We also must be more flexible to keep pace with the evolving methods of terrorist groups and be proactive in our prevention of extremism and terrorism. These concerns point to the importance of our discussion today. I would like to highlight three main aspects that we should focus on:

First, the geographical scope of terrorist activities is expanding. Recent UN reports indicate that the African continent has not been spared, like others, from the repercussions of this scourge. Nearly half of the victims of terrorism in the world last year were in Africa, where terrorist groups seek refuge in search of breeding ground. Therefore, it is no longer acceptable for the Council to focus on certain terrorist groups to the exclusion of others, especially considering the transnational nature of terrorist threats. Thus, it is imperative to harness all the tools available to the Council, including sanctions committees, to curb the activities of terrorist groups. Additionally, regional and local efforts must be supported, and coordination with actors, as well as women and youth, must be intensified.

Second, terrorists use sophisticated means and methods. Terrorist groups have proven their ability to exploit technological advances, including drones and digital currencies, to achieve their goals. Accordingly, the Delhi Declaration on Combating the Use of New and Emerging Technologies for Terrorist Purposes represents an important step – upon which we look forward to bridging gaps and developing solid regulatory frameworks for the participation of governments and the private sector at the local and global level.

Third, terrorism in all its forms must be addressed through the development of comprehensive and multilateral strategies that focus on the prevention of extremism. We will not be able to eradicate terrorism without exposing extremist ideologies that fuel violence and hatred as well as incite killing and destruction. Therefore, we must protect our societies from extremism and address its root causes.

The UAE has therefore committed to work through a comprehensive framework to counter extremism. This includes rejecting all attempts to distort and exploit Islam by raising awareness that tolerance, peaceful co-existence, and celebrating diversity are inherent values in Islamic culture. The UAE’s public and private institutions have launched several initiatives, in cooperation with regional and international partners, to eliminate extremism in a sustainable manner.

One clear example is the “Human Fraternity Conference” hosted by the UAE. The conference resulted in the signing of the “Human Fraternity Document for World Peace and Coexistence” by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam, Sheikh Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Ahmed Al-Tayeb, to catalyze dialogue on coexistence and fraternity among people, and to promote these values globally. The designation of 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity represents an annual opportunity to promote the diversity of cultures. The “Forum of Religions of the Group of Twenty”, which the UAE is hosting this week, demonstrates the country’s vision to create an international community of tolerance, peaceful co-existence, and diversity, by presenting the recommendations of approximately one hundred leaders of various religious communities to the leaders of the New Delhi summit in 2023 to achieve a world with more solidarity and peace.

In conclusion, Mr. President,

The presidential statement that we are adopting today confirms that terrorism remains at the top of the Security Council priorities. As Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee next year, the UAE will build on the achievements made during our presidency this year. We will continue to cooperate with our colleagues to strengthen the Committee’s capacities in implementing its mandate – all while taking into consideration the evolving nature international terrorism threats, with an aim to achieve security, stability, and prosperity across our societies globally.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Source: UAE Mission to UN

Advertisement

Recent Post