Peace, security and prosperity are the best response to ideologies inciting terrorist and extremist violence, he continued, underlining the need to address current and future global challenges that might create instability. He also spotlighted the need to consider the problems posed by climate change, as extreme weather is stirring conflicts and triggering migrant flows. On this, Switzerland is working with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and the United Nations University on a project demonstrating the link between climate-change-related hardships and recruitment by armed groups in the Lake Chad Basin. Stressing that the international community “cannot respond to problems by looking at one small part of them”, he said that the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy provides a complete set of tools, represents a symbol of unity and is an excellent means with which to combat terrorism. He added that counter-terrorism responses cannot just be military in nature, underscoring the importance of prevention.ROSE CHRISTIANE RAPONDA, Vice-President of Gabon, noting that 2022 was particularly blood-thirsty in Africa, said that terrorist acts resulted in 7,816 deaths. Each of the five regions of the continent had victims among civilians, security forces or Government officials, she said, expressing concern about the ability of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Da’esh, to mobilize resources. Sahel, the Lake Chad region and Southern Africa are particularly affected, she said, highlighting the structural difficulties of some countries. The international community must remain vigilant and strengthen cooperation to build up the resilience of fragile States, particularly in their ability to use technology. Terrorist groups continue to put down roots where State capacity is insufficient and their networks are constantly changing. This is a cross-border threat, and no Government can combat it on their own, she pointed out, calling for concerted actions at global, regional and national levels. LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD (United States), underscoring her country’s commitment to supporting efforts to defeat terrorists, reported that the United States has provided nearly billion in security sector assistance since 2019. Regarding Africa, President Joseph R. Biden recently transmitted to the United States Congress a 10-year plan to prevent conflict and promote stability, including in partnership with Mozambique, Libya, Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Togo. She stressed the importance of incorporating into peacebuilding initiatives the views of civil society, women, young people, victims of terrorism and the private sector. Taking a whole of society approach is the most productive and sustainable way to counter terrorism and violent extremism. The promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law are essential components of countering terrorism, she stressed, underscoring that effective counter-terrorism measures and the protection of human rights should not be conflicting goals. However, when Member States use counter-terrorism as a pretext to silence political dissent or interfere with the activities of civil society, they only promote radicalization to violence. Actors like the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group undermine peace, she added. ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said that terrorism — the root and result of many of the problems under discussion by the Security Council — is tightening its grip by exploiting instability in political, economic and security systems and by preying on the fears and vulnerabilities of people facing grinding poverty, hunger and famine. Terrorist groups, trading in the “timeless evils” of discrimination that target specific groups, religions and ethnicities, are also engaging in criminal activities, including money-laundering, illegal mining and the trafficking of arms, drugs, precious minerals and human beings. They subject women and girls to sexual and gender-based violence and flout or ignore the rule of law — from international human rights law, humanitarian law and refugee law to the values embedded in the Charter of the United Nations. However, the fight against terrorism will never succeed if the same denial and destruction of human rights is perpetuated, he continued, adding that counter-terrorism efforts that are solely security-focused rather than human-rights-based can inadvertently increase marginalization and exclusion. In this context, the proposed New Agenda for Peace will set out a holistic approach to building more peaceful societies in which terror and violent extremism have no home. It will do so through prevention, inclusion and by placing human rights and the rule of law at the core of the Organization’s work. “At every step, we commit to upholding the essential rights and dignity of terrorism’s victims and survivors, supporting and helping to heal those who have been harmed and displaced,” he asserted. AZALI ASSOUMANI, President of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union, said counter-terrorism efforts in Africa require a strong and global response. Noting that terrorism and violent extremism drive fear and human displacement on a massive scale, he said that, while those phenomena have been around a long time, they have “really exploded in Africa” in recent years. The terrorist contingent continues broadening in almost all parts of the continent, he reported. “Just as terrorism drives people apart, countering it can bring countries together,” he declared, spotlighting regional counter-terrorism initiatives across Africa, from joint efforts in the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin and Mozambique to the recent Extraordinary Summit of the African Union on terrorism and unconstitutional changes of Government. He also affirmed United Nations support in fighting the menace, highlighting the Council’s technical assistance and support for sanction regimes, as well as the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s 65 assessment visits. Voicing the African Union’s commitment to its Road Map to “Silence the Guns by 2030”, he said terrorism is seriously impacting the socioeconomic conditions of countries and entire regions alike. Several recent high-level conferences in Africa have focused on the scourge of terrorism on the one hand, and the resurgence of unconstitutional changes in Government on the other hand. Against that backdrop, the African Union has created the Ministerial Committee on Terrorism to support its member States and regional entities in those arenas. CARLOS MÁRCIO BICALHO COZENDEY, Secretary of Political Multilateral Affairs of Brazil, said that Article 53 of the Charter allows the Council to resort to regional arrangements under its authority, an option which favours the configuration of tailor-made solutions that take into account local realities. Such mechanisms may also be critical in preventing and defusing tensions, as terrorism, in particular, cannot be fought with a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Voicing grave concern about the rise and spread of terrorism in Africa, he said the continent has already provided remarkable examples of how regional and subregional groups can address that threat. The SADC mission in Mozambique has achieved significant results in Cabo Delgado, while the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is working to reduce the capacities of Al-Shabaab. As well, the Multinational Joint Task Force is making important contributions to peace in the Lake Chad Basin. However, greater efforts are needed to address the root drivers of terrorism and violent extremism, such as prolonged conflicts, poor rule of law, rights violations, discrimination, exclusion and unemployment. Investments in peacebuilding yield major positive returns, he stressed, noting that the Peacebuilding Commission is well placed to promote coherence in the United Nations for that purpose. SHEIKH SHAKHBOOT NAHYAN AL NAHYAN, Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates, said terrorism is a complex — and above all, a context-specific — phenomenon. Regional counter-terrorism initiatives play an integral part in supporting Member States in combating that scourge. Noting that more must be done to adequately support African-led efforts in that fight, he emphasized the need to further break down silos. Successful mechanisms, such as the Nouakchott Process, the Accra initiative and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa are all “proof positive” that greater integration leads to better strategies. Meanwhile, counter-terrorism solutions should look beyond the military lens, as the root causes of the phenomenon are multifaceted. Going forward, he called for prevention strategies built “from the ground up”, more resilient institutions and following the lead of African countries. “Too often, this Council has appealed for action that fell on deaf ears, because it failed to adjust to the nuances of the realities on the ground,” or it has failed to provide the necessary political or financial means, he pointed out. African stakeholders possess the knowledge and the experience needed, and “the time to listen to and support them in this endeavour is long overdue”, he stressed. LIU YUXI, Special Representative for African Affairs for China, underscored the need for the international community to jointly help tackle terrorism’s root causes. Citing the concept paper put forth as part of his country’s Global Security Initiative, he called on the United Nations to play a central role in coordinating the global fight against terrorism, and to support the implementation of General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. He called for past lessons to be considered, ahead of the eighthReview of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. He also urged more support for the African continent to enhance its ability to safeguard peace, including an increase in funding, equipment and logistical aid. The arms embargo imposed on Sudan, South Sudan and others negatively impacts their security capabilities, and must be lifted in a timely manner. He spotlighted his country’s global development initiative, which has a special emphasis on Africa, calling on the international community to take practical steps to help the continent achieve sustainable development and eradicate terrorism by tackling its root causes. Further, he underlined the need to strengthen cooperation among the United Nations, African Union and subregional organizations in helping the continent respond to security challenges. The Secretary-General’s proposal for financial support to be lent to African Union-led peace operations deserves the Council’s serious consideration, he said. FILIPE JACINTO NYUSI, President of Mozambique and Council President for March, spoke in his national capacity, noting that countering terrorism poses a challenge to States due to its transnational nature and unpredictability. In the African continent context, terrorist groups traffic in mineral resources and engage in illicit drug trafficking to fund their activities, through money-laundering. While terrorism is a global threat, the situation in Africa remains more critical, he said, pointing to the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, which reported that the continent represented about 48 per cent of terrorism-related deaths, with the Sahel region becoming the new epicentre of terrorist attacks. Noting that there has also been an uptick in terrorist activities in Northern and Central Africa, the Horn of Africa and East Africa, he pointed out that, in the south, his country has been a target of terrorist attacks since October 2017. ISHIKANE KIMIHIRO (Japan), underscoring the need to promote African-led counter-terrorism efforts, welcomed regional efforts, such as the Accra initiative, ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework and the SADC Mission in Mozambique. Emphasizing the need for capacity-building assistance for law enforcement and security authorities, he noted that his country is committed to supporting African-led efforts under the New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa, launched at the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development. He went on to underline the need to combat terrorist financing, voicing alarm that the illicit trade in natural resources, including wildlife, has become a source of funding for terrorists and armed groups in the region. Such challenges should be addressed in a coordinated manner in line with relevant resolutions. As well, root causes, such as poverty and inequality, must be addressed, he said, stressing the need for a human-security approach to this end. Japan will engage constructively in the upcoming eighth review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, he said, emphasizing the need to promote the rule of law, human rights, gender mainstreaming and maritime security, as underscored in previous Strategy’s review resolutions. JAMES KARIUKI (United Kingdom) agreed with the briefers that today’s terrorist threat is increasingly transnational and opportunistic, exploiting existing tensions in society. He voiced the United Kingdom’s commitment to regional security and intelligence cooperation, urging more collaboration between the United Nations, African Union and regional economic communities. Missions led by the latter must have robust compliance and accountability measures — “not least to ensure that they do not feed the terrorists’ own narratives” — he said, welcoming discussions on that issue and the Secretary-General’s upcoming report on mission financing. In the context of cutting off funding to terrorists, he urged greater use of United Nations sanctions in Africa, and called for counter-terrorism efforts to be holistic, not just military-focused. The United Kingdom is working closely with partners in Africa to strengthen security cooperation. For example, it funded the establishment of Kenya’s Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, as part of a .6 million annual investment in that country’s counter-terrorism efforts. Meanwhile, he said, the presence of the Wagner Group “is part of the problem, not the solution” in areas of instability in Africa. Against this backdrop, he highlighted initiatives at the global and regional levels to combat terrorism and violent extremism. The effectiveness of the United Nations — now more than ever — rests on more robust cooperation with regional organizations. In order to combat insurgencies in their respective regions, African regional organizations, such as SADC and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), have developed their unique operations, which include both military and diplomatic initiatives. He also cited the Accra initiative, which groups together Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso, and — hopefully soon — Nigeria, as a regional security and intelligence mechanism designed to assist in the fight against terrorism. However, he expressed concern that capacity limitations and a lack of financial resources have become significant obstacles in the fight against terrorists, pointing to under-resourced mandates for peacekeeping in Africa. In this context, he stressed the need to reinforce the capacity of regional organizations for early warning and conflict prevention. Briefings Note: A complete summary of today’s Security Council meeting will be made available after its conclusion. “No age, no culture, no religion, no nationality and no region are immune,” he said, voicing particular concern over the situation in Africa. Despair, poverty, hunger, lack of basic services, unemployment, and unconstitutional changes in Government continue to lay fertile ground for the expansion of terrorist groups across the continent. Sounding the alarm at the gains terrorist groups are making in the Sahel and elsewhere, he reported that fighters, funds, and weapons are increasingly flowing between regions and across Africa. Moreover, the online world provides a global platform to spread violent ideologies even further. … He also noted the deployment of several successful peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the African Union, including the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Multinational Joint Force in the Lake Chad Basin. Each have succeeded in reducing armed group activities and protecting the local populations. He also welcomed the decision by the East African Community to deploy a force to the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Several regional frameworks are also now in place to support such counter-terrorism efforts, he said, citing the Djibouti Process, Accra initiative and others. Noting that many Governments are under pressure from people exasperated by growing instability, she said their social and economic measures are lagging, as terrorism tests the capacity of States and destabilizes entire regions. Emphasizing the commitment of African States to fight against all manifestations of terrorism on the continent, she spotlighted regional initiatives, such as the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel) and the Accra initiative. The current polarization of the world must not result in the weakening of multilateralism, she stressed, noting that terrorist groups could benefit from such a development. Also observing that frustrated youth are easy targets for radicalization, she called for a holistic, tri-dimensional approach that involves zero tolerance for terrorism, alignment of actions with international law and guarding against politicization. Also calling for the sharing of information and training of security personnel, she underlined the relationship between climate change and poverty and instability. NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO, President of Ghana, voiced concern over the devastating consequences that terrorism and violent extremism have had on humanity. Highlighting the unsettling uncertainty of where the next attack would come, he said: “This war has no fixed boundaries, neither does it have an end date.” For many people in Africa, the threat to their peace is their daily reality, he noted, sounding alarm at the steady transformation of the continent into “an arena for violent extremism and terrorism”. Detailing threats in the region, he said that Boko Haram continues to carry out assassinations, kidnappings and large-scale acts of violence against civilian populations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger. In Somalia, Al-Qaida-affiliated Al-Shabaab is under pressure, but not defeated. ALAIN BERSET, President of Switzerland, noting that while terrorism exists everywhere, it is manifesting in a particularly alarming way in Africa. Recalling his February visit to Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, he reported that new groups are emerging and existing armed groups are joining United Nations-designated terrorist organizations. The international community must break this cycle of violence, and the necessary ingredients are well-known — the rule of law, prevention, partnerships, inclusion and respect for international law. On that point, he said that respecting the rule of law means ensuring that counter-terrorism operations do not serve as pretexts for failing to protect civilians or for marginalizing opposition. It also means guaranteeing that humanitarian aid reaches everyone in need — without delay and unhindered — and that children associated with terrorist groups are treated as victims. To that end, he noted that his country is working with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to prepare a handbook to guide the provision of psychosocial assistance to children linked with criminal or armed groups. Statements Against this backdrop, he called for an enhanced cooperation framework among the United Nations, African Union and African subregional organizations to combat terrorism, commending, in this regard, the efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. He also underlined the importance of the New Delhi Declaration, which reaffirms “zero tolerance to terrorism”. The African Union and regional organizations have accumulated relevant experience on conflict resolution, including the setting up of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in Mozambique, with an important military component that has been, since July 2021, engaged in fighting terrorism in Cabo Delgado Province. He called for more support to be lent to his country and Rwanda, among others, to eradicate terrorism in the region. Ahead of the eighth Review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in July, he emphasized the need to prevent violent extremism through strengthened community resilience and the establishing of a fund to strengthen local sustainable development initiatives, thereby generating jobs for the youth, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. While those frameworks and initiatives have had positive impacts, they require greater support and commitments, he continued. Underscoring the importance of prevention, he called on the Council to redouble its efforts and strengthen cooperation with the African Union, pointing out that such collaboration is less costly in the long term. He also emphasized the need to mobilize the sustained, predictable funds needed for African Union-led missions to prevent and fight terrorism. As well, the United Nations Action Plan should be implemented in a more effective and decentralized manner, he added. Above all, he underlined the importance of the Organization’s close collaboration with the African Union and regional and subregional African organizations. Tailored assistance to African Member States includes prevention, legal assistance, investigations, prosecutions, reintegration and rehabilitation, and human-rights protection. Against this backdrop, he cited the eighth review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in June as a critical opportunity to tackle structural conditions that create fertile ground for terror to spread.
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