Fourth United Nations High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism (Session 2)

Good afternoon, Excellencies and distinguished delegates.
On behalf of my co chair, miss Dan Quita, under Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, and on my own behalf, it is my honor and privilege to welcome you all to session number two of the high level Conference of Heads of Counterterrorism agencies of member states.
A warm welcome, a very warm welcome to our distinguished panelists, to representatives of member states, to our colleagues from international and regional organizations, and to representatives of civil society joining us today.
This session dedicated to strengthening coordination and coherence through networked multilateralism could not be more timely.
The challenges posed by terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, demand not only national resolve, but sustained, coherent and coordinated multilateral action.
We look forward to a rich and substantive exchange this afternoon.
Before we proceed to our speakers, my co chair and I shall each deliver brief remarks in our national capacity.
Let's all wear our headphones because I'm speaking in Arabic.
Abad Excellencies, distinguished guests.
Greetings and the blessings of God upon you.
I have the pleasure to participate alongside you.
In this meeting to discuss a subject that is of interest to all of us.
I have the pleasure to co chair this meeting alongside miss Dan Keta, Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNFPA.
First of all, I would like to thank the organizers of this conference for having chosen as the theme of this meeting, strengthening coordination and coherence through networked multilateralism.
This is perfectly in line with the approach of the Kingdom of Bahrain when it comes to counterterrorism.
The Kingdom is committed to playing its role as a fully fledged partner in the fight against terrorism to combat dangers and threats.
Represented by terrorist organizations that practice cross border crime.
It is necessary to promote cooperation on a constant basis between the various different partners so as to support capacity building and also to promote the exchange of intelligence and information in order to establish a global community dialogue.
We base our work on a multidisciplinary approach in Bahrain at the national, regional and international levels.
The Kingdom has put in place high level structures to promote coordination at multiple levels and we have established a national strategy to ensure the integration and coordination of the action of the various different state agencies via the creation of ad hoc committees such as the Committee for Counterterrorism and the Committee for combating money laundering in 2020, under the leadership of the Ministry of Finances, and the authority responsible for counterterrorism under the presidency of the executive director.
Within the Ministry of Finances.
We are profoundly committed to the United Nations global counterterrorism strategy, as well as to resolutions of the General Assembly and the General Assembly that are relevant to this matter.
We also participate in the work being done by international and regional organizations within the context of the Gulf Cooperation Council and also the Center for Countering the Financing of Terrorism.
We are firmly convinced of and we have faith in cooperation And via the activities that we have conducted, we have been able to make a contribution not only to strengthening security in Bahrain, but also at the regional level.
We have also joined the Gulf Cooperation Council Counterterrorism Strategy in order to promote cooperation between the states of the GCC and also with the conviction of the N to combat terrorism.
The states of the Gulf Cooperation Council have adopted a security strategy in 2002 and in 2004, We signed a security agreement among the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council in 2024.
We also adopted a strategy that reflects the commitment of the Gulf States to adopting a holistic approach to countering terrorism not only among the countries of the region, but at the global level indeed, to promote cooperation with all partners around the world.
Given the rise of geopolitical tensions, it is incumbent upon all of us to close ranks in order to combat the spread of terrorism and money laundering.
All efforts, regional and international efforts must be coordinated, including multi party cooperation in order to support regional and international stability.
In this regard, I would like to reaffirm the following points.
The interconnected nature of terrorism requires the exchange of information and intelligence among the various different stakeholders.
I would like to highlight in particular the importance of networked action in order to combat terrorism, including through the United Nations global counterterrorism strategy.
I invite also a focus on capacity building.
We must promote international cooperation to combat the financing of terrorism.
And to combat the use of emerging technologies, whilst also providing the necessary assistance to communities that have been affected by terrorism.
This will require an approach that combines all aspects of counterterrorism in accordance with international law and with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter.
To conclude, I would like to reaffirm the need to a have a common front in the fight against terrorism, to mercilessly combat terrorism in order to preserve the integrity of our efforts and to put an end to everything that is jeopardizing our collective security and stability.
We very much look forward to the exchange of views that will take place during this session.
I hope that our efforts can come together to be able to put in place prosperous societies without terrorism.
Thank you.
ST, Madam Co Chair, Excellency, Nancy Jamal, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations.
Excellency, Monsieur Lili Caron, Special envoy for Counterterrorism and Organized Crime, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, France.
Major General Adam Mugabaka, National Coordinator of the National Counterterrorism Center, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Major General, doctor Mohammed Sakh Al Musta, Vice Chair of the National Counterterrorism Committee, State of Qatar, Madam Sakina Alam, acting Director of the Coterroris Department, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, United Kingdom.
Excellency', distinguished delegate, esteemed colleagues and partner.
Warm welcome to all.
Today, I am honored to co chair this important high level panel, which embodies multilateral cooperation at its best.
As we reflect on the ninth review of the UN Global counterterrorism strategy, it is clear that the future of multilateral depends on our collective ability to connect, coordinate, and deliver inclusive, preventive, and coherent approaches to counterterrorism.
The UN Global Counterterrorism Coordination Compact, bringing together 46 entities is network multilaterals made rail.
The United Nations Population funds roles as co chair reflects the recognition that effective counterterrorism requires contribution from across the United Nations system.
Security measures alone are not enough.
Effective counterterrorism requires an all of the United Nations wall of society approach, one that draws on expertise across the humanitarian development and peace pillars rooted in human rights.
Terrorism is a direct assault on all these values, and it is not gender neutral.
It targets women and girls with deliberate brutality.
Sexual violence is used as a weapon.
Women and girls lose control of their own lives.
Exclusion and lack of opportunity can trap young people in a cycle of exploitation.
These issues are central to preventing terrorism and building lasting peace.
When women and young people have access to education, health services, protection, and opportunities, communities become stronger and more resilient.
We are building the most durable form of prevention.
Violent extremism exploit exclusion, inequality, and the absence of opportunity.
By investing in women and young people in their rights to individual agency, to live free from violence, to participate in public life, we build communities that are more resilient, harder to radicalize, and better equipped to recover.
To be truly effective, our coordinated response must put people first.
UNFPA works on the front line from the Lake Chad Basin to the Great Lake region, across the Arab States and beyond.
We provide care that survivors of conflict related sexual violence urgently need.
As the provider of last resort for gender based violence services, the United Nations Population Fund helps ensure women and girls continue receiving lifesaving support even in the most difficult settings.
Young people are essential partner in prevention.
When they have opportunities, participate in public life and can build a hopeful future, they strengthen the resilience of their communities.
We invest in young people's participation, protection, and empowerment.
Through its youth peace and security agenda, the Security Council has recognized that this is essential to sustainable peace.
Women and young people are agents and architects of peace.
They must be integrated into our prevention strategies as full partner in design and in delivery.
Excellence is.
Strengthening coordination is about more than sharing information.
It must mean joint aligned delivery at country level.
Through The resident coordinator and the United Nations country team, the United Nations is bringing together development, humanitarian, human rights, and security expertise to better support member states.
We are using data, including demographic trends, gender analysis, and community level insight to map vulnerabilities and reach those most at risk.
We call on all partners to deepen this collaboration.
Global policy commitment must be matched by what we actually do on the ground.
That means three things.
First, ensure that gender and youth perspective inform national counterterrorism policies.
Second, make survivor centered services as an integral part of national responses.
Third, strengthen joint financing and coordination across sectors.
The global terrorist threat is complex and multidimensional.
Our response must be equally networked and comprehensive.
A future free from terrorism will not be secured by military action alone.
It will also depend on protecting right, expanding opportunity, and strengthening the resilience of communities.
The United Nations Population Fund stands ready to work with member state and partner to strengthen prevention, protect those most at risk, and reinforce the link between security, development, and human rights.
Let us act with the urgency this moment demands.
Let us prove that connected and coherent multilaterlism can deliver the peace and security our world deserve and that this is the right of each and every one of us.
I thank you.
Thank you, Under Secretary-General Quita.
Before turning to our panelists, we shall hear from two voices that remind us of the very human stakes of the work we do here.
I invite participants to watch and listen to a prerecorded video message by miss Grace Akan, a social worker and survivor from Uganda.
Before I was in school, studying like anybody continue with life as normal without knowing that any unfortunate event would occur.
Already, there was a rumor that some rebels were heading towards our school.
We were just sleeping in the dormitory.
I woke up and heard straight noises outside, and we didn't know what to do.
So we remained inside the dormitory until they opened up a window and got into the dormitory and started telling us to get out of the house.
I must say I was confused.
I didn't know what else would happen, whether it be alive or die.
But that was the beginning of a very long journey, and that took me away from home almost eight years.
What happened to me that motivated me so much.
I felt like I need to do something to change the lives of fellow women who have survived the war like me.
We co founded the small CBO community based organization called the Women's Advocacy Network, which was founded to address the post conflict challenges that women who were abducted during the Lord's resistance army are facing, engaging women and doing transitional justice work.
First it was the right thing to be their voice, to advocate for change in their lives.
Something has to be done about those who have been affected.
It is a right.
Reparations is a right.
I think one day when I see the women in Northern Uganda getting reparations, genuine reparations, that will be my joy.
Thank you so much.
We thank miss Akam for her courageous message.
I now invite participants to watch and listen a pre recorded video message by misses Rachel Goldberg, the mother of Ash Golder Son, a victim of October 7th.
Video, please.
My name is Rachel and I will always be the mother of Hirsch Goldberg Poland.
Hirsch will always be my eldest child.
Hirsch will always be my only son, and Hirsch will always be 23-years-old.
On October 7th, 2023, Hirsch, both an American and Israeli civilian, was attending the Nova Music Festival in Israel with almost 4,000 others.
On that Sunday morning, 364 of those attendees were massacred.
It was a gathering that had been advertised as being for unity, love, and peace.
When terrorists attacked the festival, Hirsch and 27 other young music lovers ran for cover to a roadside bomb shelter.
Terrorists came to the doorway of that eight foot by five foot structure and threw in hand grenades, one of which blew off Hirsch's left dominant arm.
The terrorists sprayed machine gunfire into that tiny room, killing 18 of those young people immediately.
Hirsh and three other young men were wounded badly and unable to hide under the dead bodies as others were doing.
They were ordered out of the shelter and onto a pickup truck.
We have horrific video footage of this.
It is something no parent would ever want to see of their child.
They were stolen, driven away deep into Gaza.
Immediately, my husband, John, and I began a twisted, tormented, miserable odyssey that I would not wish on anyone, not on anyone.
We ran to the ends of this world, beseeching, begging, pleading, reasoning, and appealing to every person of power and influence that we could.
We spoke to heads of state, prime ministers, foreign ministers, presidents, the Pope, the Red Cross, world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
We met with many of you in this building at the United Nations, both here in New York and in Geneva.
We did what every single one of you would have done for your child and what every single one of your parents would have done for you.
The hostages taken on October 7th represented 28 nations.
The hostages taken on October 7th were Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists and yet, because there were no protocols in place to immediately implement for when a hostage crisis occurs, those 251 precious souls became part of a macabre game.
Pawns.
We families were game pieces.
We grew to know it, we still are.
There was leverage, but it was not used and therefore, it was not leverage.
Creative and clear options were not actualized.
Perhaps there were larger interests and equities eclipsing this global humanitarian crisis in the mini.
I have learned that 99% of us are sheep.
Me too.
I am a sheep, but we sheep thirst for trusted shepherds to keep us safe.
On day 330, after 11 months, Hirsch was returned to us in a black bag with handles.
Hirsch was emaciated, having been starved.
He was six feet tall, a meter 83, and he weighed 109 pounds, 50 kilo.
He was bearing scars of torture.
He had one hand.
He was filthy.
The coroner estimated he had not bathed in months.
He had six bullet wounds in his scarred and sacred body, and his hair was covered in gunpowder from the shots being fired right onto his skin.
We buried our only son Hersh, our forever boy, in the ground 8 kilometers from our home.
I am not unique.
There are millions of parents who have buried their children.
It is horrific, tragic, and forever shatteredness that will accompany each of us until it is our time to meet our maker.
In war and conflict, there is no competition among innocent civilians on all sides of whose tears are the saltiest.
We all suffer.
We all failed the hostages.
I include myself.
I include you.
I include humanity.
In the beginning of the Bible in Genesis, after Cain murders his brother Abel, God asks, Where is your brother? Cain answers, Am I my brother's keeper? I am here to tell you, yes, I am.
You are, we all are.
God replies to Cain's disrespectful response saying, Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.
Now is the time for action.
Talking is lovely, but words that are empty and without movement are just breath.
In this world, we are not what we say.
We are not what we think, and we are not even what we believe.
In this world, we are what we do.
Do until we enact immediate protocols and codes of conduct, we will be passive accomplices to what is to come.
Woe be to all of us, children of God, our brothers keepers.
Amen.
We thank miss Goldberg Poland for her moving message, food for thought.
We shall now turn to our distinguished panelists.
I invite Mr.
Olivier Caron, special envoy for counterterrorism and Organized Crime of France to take the floor.
Sir.
Thank you, Distinguished co chairs, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues.
Terrorist groups, Daesh, Al Qaeda, and their affiliates, pose a persistent threat to international security.
They've exhibited an ongoing ability to reconfigure, to extend their presence in the Levant, in Africa, in Afghanistan, and the surrounding region.
These terrorist groups prosper feeding on violations of fundamental rights, governance problems, and the exclusion of women in addition to gender inequality, that is their breeding ground.
Combating this scourge should be a priority for our action, action which must be collective and underpinned by a robust partnership framework.
Therefore, we must use multilateral instruments crafted by the United Nations to their fullest.
These include the global counterterrorism strategy.
This strategy sets up a framework for a balanced anti terrorism approach, helping us to combat factors or drivers of radicalization, levers that are exploited by terrorist groups, all the while ensuring respect for human rights and international law.
The strategy also charts a course for UN Nations entities to follow as they fight against terrorism, UNOCT and parties to the Global Coordination Compact provide valuable technical assistance so as to build the capacity of states affected by terrorism, as does UNODC, which seeks to ensure better understanding of new dynamics which terrorist groups are deploying.
So as to achieve convergence, in particular, in their cooperation or engagement with transnational organized crime.
The UNIC has a key role to play as does the counterterrorism Committee.
It has a key role in implementing Security Council resolutions.
Which must also be adapted to national contexts.
Terrorists are exploiting every and any loophole in our approach.
Thus, we must support the aforementioned institutions and promote cooperation between them within their respective mandates.
In a similar fashion, it is in our collective interest to build synergies with other entities involved in combating de radicalization.
For instance, the global, the global counterterrorism Forum as well as other relevant institutions which are complementary to a security based approach.
France would like to reiterate its support for the International coalition against Daesh, a coalition which has helped defeat the so called caliphate of Daesh and which must continue to take action so as to prevent the resurgence thereof.
There are other activities.
The coalition is active in Levant in the Levant, together with its international and regional partners.
France would like to commend Syria's accession to the coalition, something that we as France actively supported.
Last but not least, we must also adopt a unified coordinated approach so as to effectively combat terrorist financing.
With this in mind, France in 2018, set up a No Money for error Conference, the fifth edition of the conference was held in Paris on the 19th of May of this year.
It created an international coordination framework so that we could jointly fight against all financing channels, including virtual assets, and this in keeping with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The week is an excellent opportunity to reiterate our common commitment to effectively combating terrorism in a way that respects the rule of law and human rights a balanced fashion.
We must seize this opportunity.
I thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Carron.
I hope I'm saying it for your remarks and for focusing on the different aspects of counterterrorism.
I would now like to give the floor to Major General Adamu Garbaka, national coordinator of the National Counterterrorism Center of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Sir? Thank you very much, Distinguished co chairs, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
Good afternoon evening.
I wish to express Nigeria's appreciation to the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism for conveying this fourth high level conference and providing a platform to strengthen international cooperation against terrorism.
It is an honor to speak on the important topic of strengthening coordination and coherence through networked multilateralism.
Terrorism remains one of the greatest threats to peace, security, and sustainable development in the world today, especially in Africa, which it has become the epicenter of terrorism.
From the Sahel and the Lake Chad basin to the Horn of Africa and Southern Africa, terrorist groups continue to exploit fragile governance, porous borders, local grievances, and technological advances to expand their reach.
As a frontline country, Nigeria recognizes that these threats do not respect national borders and neither can our response.
The complexity of today's security environment requires us to move beyond isolated national efforts.
It calls for a more connected, coordinated, and inclusive approach, one that brings together governments, regional organizations, international partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector.
This is the essence of networked multilateralism.
Network multilateralism recognizes that no single institution or country possesses all the capabilities needed to address terrorism effectively.
It promotes collaboration through interconnected partnership that combines expertise, resources, intelligence, and innovation to achieve shared security objectives.
Africa already has strong foundations upon which to build on.
The African Union, its specialized mechanism, regional economic communities, and the partnership with the United Nations and other international actors have developed important frameworks for preventing and countering terrorism.
However, implementation often remains fragmented.
Overlapping initiatives, limited intelligence sharing, inconsistent legal frameworks, and resource constraints continue to reduce the effectiveness of our collective efforts.
To strengthen coordination and coherence, several priorities deserve our attention.
First, we must enhance intelligence sharing and early warning systems.
Timely, accurate, and actionable intelligence is the cornerstone of effective counterterrorism.
Building trusted mechanisms for information exchange across borders will enable earlier detection of threats and faster, more coordinated responses.
Second, we must improve cross border cooperation.
Terrorist groups move people, weapons, finances, and logistics across national frontiers with ease.
Our border management, law enforcement, and judicial cooperation must therefore be equally connected and responsive.
Third, we should harmonize legal and policy frameworks.
Common standards facilitate joint investigation, extradition, prosecution, and the disruption of terrorist financing while ensuring that our actions remain consistent with international law and respect for human rights.
Fourth, technology should become an enabler of cooperation.
Artificial intelligence Data analytics, just partial technologies, and secure digital communication platforms can strengthen early warning, improve risk assessment, and enhance operational coordination.
At the same time, we must work together to counter the misuse of emerging technologies by terrorist organizations.
Fifth, our response must remain comprehensive.
Military and law enforcement actions alone cannot eliminate terrorism.
Sustainable success requires addressing the underlying drivers of violent extremism, true good governance, education, economic opportunities, social inclusion, and community resilience.
Women, youth, religious leaders, traditional institutions, and civil societies all have indispensable roles to play in preventing radicalization and strengthening social cohesion.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
Finally, networked multilateralism depends on trust.
Trust enables information sharing, operational cooperation, and collective decision making.
Building that trust requires political commitment, transparency, accountability, and sustained investment in regional institutions and partnerships.
The fight against terrorism is not solely a security challenge.
It is also a test of our ability to work together across borders, institutions, and sectors.
Our greatest strength lies not only in our individual capabilities, but in our collective resolve.
To this end, Nigeria has adopted a whole of government and a whole of society approach to counterterrorism through the National Counterrorism Center.
We have also strengthened regional and international partnership, advanced disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs, enhanced counterterrorism financing measures, and is positioning the National Counterterrorism Center as a regional Center of Excellence for training, research, and capacity building in West Africa and the Sahel.
We believe that sustained cooperation, shared responsibility, and coordinated action remains indispensable to effectively addressing the evolving terrorist threat.
By embracing networked multilateralism, we can transform fragmented efforts into coordinated action, strengthen resilience against evolving threats, and build a safer and more secure continent and world for our future generation.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, Major La, for highlighting the importance of network multilateral for a more coordinated and inclusive approach to address terrorism effectively.
Now, I would like to invite Major General doctor Mohammed Sal Mufta, Vice Chair of the National Counterrorism Committee of the State of Qatar to take the floor.
Co chairs, Your Excellency colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the UN OCT for the successful organization of the Counterterrorism Week, and I am thankful for my invitation to speak alongside a prominent group of colleagues.
This is an important topic because it addresses a topic of vital importance to the state of Qatar, which is effective coordination to eliminate terrorism.
Terrorism is a transboundary threat and continues to evolve.
Therefore, it cannot be addressed through isolated efforts.
There must be multilateral efforts and coordination to address terrorism in within the principles of ownership and in complete alignment with the UN charter and international law.
I would like to briefly address some aspects that are important for improved coherence and coordination in order to successfully counter terrorism.
Firstly, we must be guided by the global strategy for counterterrorism, which continues to represent the most comprehensive and legitimate framework in this regard.
The four pillars of the strategy must remain balanced and we look forward to the ninth review of the strategy as an important opportunity to strengthen our consensus.
With regards to the strategy and our effective efforts in its implementation, the State of Qatar is committed through its national counterterrorism efforts and its international cooperation to the international vision, and we are committed to the international instruments on counterterrorism to which we are a party.
Second, capacity building must be effective and must be based on the needs and must be aligned with national priorities.
In this context, the UN charter.
For the coordination of counterterrorism efforts through UN OCT plays an essential role in guaranteeing our effectiveness.
Similarly, technical assistance must be guaranteed.
In this regard, the State of Qatar, since the establishment of UN OCT, has continued to provide support to the office and has become a leading donor.
The state of Qatar welcomes the efforts of UN OCT to promote results based management.
Through the office in Doha, we have cooperated in capacity building, research, and coordination, and awareness raising.
Third, network multilateralism must be inclusive.
Civil society, governments, women and youth and victims and survivors and religious leaders and social leaders and academic circles must all play their parts in counterterrorism, all within their expertise.
Security measures alone are not enough.
We must address the drivers of radicalization and violent extremism and we must seek to achieve social justice and respect for dialogue and diversity.
There is also a need to address the misuse of technology while maintaining respect for human rights and the rule of law.
For the state of Qatar, we continue to a participate actively in order to promote our cooperation through our work with the UN OCT and our support for strategic initiatives and coordination initiatives and capacity building efforts throughout the world.
Okay.
Our efforts embody our continued commitment in regional and international counter terrorism efforts through the Global Coterrorism Forum and the Coalition Against Daesh, and the different modes of cooperation.
As well as our efforts to combat the financing of terrorism.
On the national level, we believe in the importance of coordination, and we have adopted a comprehensive strategy on counterterrorism and violent extremism that is aligned with the global strategy and that includes coordination between the different relevant government actors and the different sectors.
I Our strategy is also based and managed by a central agency.
We in conclusion, wish all the success for this conference and all the activities during this UN week on counterterrorism and we reiterate our categorical rejection of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and we reiterate that it cannot be attributed to any civilization or religion or race, and we look forward to working with all partners in order to strengthen coordination and coherence and also while maintaining multilateral consensus.
In order to build a future free of terrorism.
Thank you very much.
Thank you so much, Major General Al Musta.
Thank you for highlighting the importance of improving coherence of the strategy during this ninth review and emphasizing capacity building and technical assistance as key element and the whole society approach.
I would like now to give the floor to miss Skin Alam, acting Director of Counterterrorim Department of the United Kingdom.
You have the floor.
Thank you, co chairs, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues.
The United Kingdom thanks to the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism for convening this important week.
Terrorism remains a serious and evolving threat to international peace and security, a threat that is becoming more diverse, dynamic, and complex.
No country can address this challenge alone, and our response must be collective, coordinated, and increasingly networked.
I'll make three points.
First, multilateralism is essential.
The United Nations plays a central role in coordinating the global response and the UN Global counterterrorism strategy provides an important framework for collective action.
We fully recognize the pivotal role of international cooperation and partnerships in confronting these challenges.
To be effective, we must continue to strengthen coherence across the UN system.
This means ensuring that different parts of the architecture work in a complementary way, linking analysis, priority setting, and capacity building into a more strategic and joined up offer for member states.
It also means reinforcing coordination between key actors, including the counter terrorism Committee and executive Directorate to ensure support is targeted, needs driven, avoids duplication, and learns from experience.
Second, coordination and partnerships are critical.
The evolving threat landscape demands a whole of society and genuinely networked approach.
This includes stronger cooperation between member states, enhanced information sharing, and closer operational cooperation.
But coordination must extend beyond governments.
Effective counterterrorism depends on partnerships with regional organizations, civil society and the private sector who bring essential expertise, local knowledge, and reach.
Regional cooperation in particular remains vital.
The United Kingdom continues to support work with partners such as the African Union and EkowS helping to strengthen resilience, improve coordination, and deliver effective responses on the ground.
Third, we must address evolving threats while upholding human rights and the rule of law.
Terrorist groups continue to adapt, including through the use of new technologies and by exploiting instability, conflict, and weak governance.
We must strengthen our collective efforts to disrupt these threats, including through tackling terrorist financing and making full use of UN sanctions tools.
At the same time, counterterrorism effort must be conducted in full respect of human rights and the rule of law.
This is not only a legal obligation, but it's essential to maintaining legitimacy, preventing radicalization, and ensuring long term effectiveness.
A whole of society approach, including the meaningful participation of civil society and women, remains fundamental to building sustainable resilience.
Co chairs, colleagues, the United Kingdom remains committed to working with all partners across the UN system to strengthen multilateral cooperation and coordination.
Thank you.
I thank miss Alam for her remarks that actually focused on the importance of staying ahead of terrorist trends and keeping CT a global priority.
I would like to now invite you to watch and listen to a prerecorded video message by Mr.
Miguel Angel Mats, Under Secretary-General and High representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilzations, and United Nations Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia.
I Dear friends, it's a pleasure to participate in this session and wish to thank UNIC for convening this important discussion.
The theme of this year, counterterrorism Week is both timely and necessary.
It reflects a shared recognition that addressing terrorism and violent extremism and when conducive to terrorism requires not only effective security responses, but also inclusive, preventive, and coordinated action across societies.
These message strongly resonate with the mandate of the United Nations Alliance of Scivilization.
For more than two decades, UNONC has worked to advance dialogue, mutual understanding, and social cohesion as essential component of prevention.
Together with governments, UN partners, civil society, faith leaders, youth in media, and the private sector, we have worked to build bridges across communities, promote mutual understanding and create spaces for dialogue aiming to address the condition that can be exploited by those who seek to divide communities and spread haites.
The theme of today's session is also particularly important.
The threat we face are increasingly interconnected and rapidly evolving.
No single institution or stakeholder can address them alone.
Progress depends on our ability to work together across countries, across sector, and across different levels of society.
It depends on bringing together the experience of local communities, national authorities, the United Nations system, and many other partners in pursuit of common goals.
This is where networking multilateralism becomes so important.
It is about recognizing that lasting solutions are built through partnership.
Member states, of course, have a central leadership role to play, but progress also depends on bringing together the contribution of international organizations, civil society, health leader, academia, young people, and the private sector.
My dear friends, when we work in a coordinated and complementary way, we are better equipped to strengthen resilience, address shared challenges, and advance prevention efforts.
As member states prepare for the ninth review of the United Nations global counterterrorism strategy, this discussion acquired particular significance.
With the four pillar, the strategy remains a legal framework for global action.
The review presents an opportunity to reaffirm the value of comprehensive and whole of society approaches.
It also provides an opportunity to strengthen partnership that promote inclusion, empower young people, engage religion and community leaders, and reinforce social cohesion.
United Nations Alliance of civilization, Joan OSC stand ready to support member states and partners in advancing this effort.
Through our work to promote intercultural interracial dialogue, empower young people, and foster more inclusive societies, we will continue to contribute to prevention oriented approaches that strengthen mutual understanding and trust.
We also look forward to further strengthening collaboration across the United Nations system with our many partners.
By working together, building in our respective strength, we can enhance our impact and help advance the shared vision of peaceful, inclusive, and resilient societies.
I thank you.
I thank Mr.
Martinez for his virtual message.
And now we come to the fun part of this session.
We shall now open the floor for questions and observations.
We have a number of speakers already inscribed.
Additional interventions will be taken as time permits on a first come first served basis.
You can just go to the organizers in the corner to ask for the floor if you want it.
I would like to kindly remind all speakers that unfortunately, due to the limitation of time, we shall have to be very strict about limiting interventions to just 3 minutes.
Um, and we do apologize.
There might not be a need to clap, just to ensure that all of you get to go home on time and enjoy New York.
Without further ado, I shall give the floor to the first speaker on my list, Mr.
Mohamed Aida, President of the General Agency for State Security, Yemen.
Thank you, Madam Co Chair.
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, may the peace and blessings of God be upon you.
We are pleased to take part in this important conference held at a critical juncture as our country in particular and the region in general are witnessing accelerating and serious developments due to the growing capabilities of terrorist groups.
Their threat is not only limited to Yemen, this threat is regional and global.
My statement today is not mere words.
These are facts based on intelligence and interrogations of those arrested from various terrorist groups from numerous nationalities.
Terrorist groups have united their ranks and their plots.
Their threat is not limited to Yemen.
That is a global threat.
The terrorist Houthi militia has formed a tight alliance with al Qaeda and ISIS as well as Al Shabab.
They provided them with weapons, with drones to encircle both banks of the Babelment strait.
This is one of the most strategic the world's most strategic waterway.
This is a threat to supply chains.
Ladies and gentlemen, Cross border terrorism, led by the IRGC Force and the access of terrorism represented by various Iranian proxies in countries of the region represent a more serious risk for the region and the world.
This fans the flame of regional conflict and endangers security and stability.
The terrorist Houthi militia is a manifest example on how the conflict in Yemen was prolonged and how marine navigation and pirate was threatened and piracy has happened, as well as the cross border terrorism.
Ladies and gentlemen, time will not permit to detail the plots of these terrorist groups, but we remain ready to cooperate, whether collectively under the umbrella of the UN OCT or bilaterally with peace loving countries to share the information we have on these terrorist groups.
To conclude, I would like to express our appreciation to the United Nations represented by anno CT, as well as all peace loving groupings, most notably the Islamic Counterterrorism Coalition led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
I thank you for your kind attention.
Sun.
Thank you very much.
F to John Lucas Eposito, Director General of Human Rights and Rural Law Council of Europe.
Amen.
Thank you very much, Madam President.
Excenciesdies and gentlemen, terrorism and armed conflict are two separate yet intersecting forms of brutal violence.
In many regions, terrorist groups carry out attacks on civilian population while confronting government forces and competing with one another for territorial control.
This situation poses major challenges, including legal challenges for everyone.
The response, we at the Council of Europe will soon be issuing a recommendation to the governments of our 46 member states on prosecuting terrorist offenses, serious violations of international humanitarian law, and other core international crimes committed in the context of a non international armed conflict.
Allow me to make three key points here.
First, this recommendation promotes the notion of cumulative prosecutions to ensure accountability for the totality of the wrongdoing in which terrorist suspects may have engaged during a conflict.
Second, the recommendation addresses the question of jurisdiction and statute of limitations to prevent perpetrators of terrorist offenses and core international crimes from evading justice through legal loopholes.
And thirdly, the recommendation acknowledges the positive impact of cumulative prosecutions on securing justice for victims of terrorism and core international crimes.
Allow me to thank our 46 member states who helped shaping this important international text, as well as CTA and the ICRC for their inputs.
Of course, we remain available for additional information if this is required.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Thank you so much, Director General, for sticking to the time.
I would like to now introduce Mr.
Pedro Roku, Vice President of Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, Pam, please.
Excellencies, it is a pleasure to address you all on behalf of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean PM.
In its capacity as the presidency of the UN Coordination Mechanism and policy Dialogue for Parliamentary assemblies on counterterrorism, Pam is deeply honored to contribute to this conference to amplify the voices of parliamentarism further complementing and enhancing international counterterrorism efforts.
Preventing and combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is at the top of the agenda of PAM.
With this objective in mind, we always provided the greatest attention to multilateral cooperation as the only way to effectively address the terrorist threat, especially in conflict affected and high risk context.
Through the two years of the PEM presidency of the coordination mechanism, our assembly focused inter alia on the malicious uses of AI and technologies by terrorists and criminal groups, the role of women in counterterrorism, the criminal terrorist nexus, monitoring illegal trafficking, especially in persons and migrants, the empowerment of youth to counter terrorism, radicalization, and violent extremism, and the terrorist threats in the Sahal and sub Saharan Africa.
Moreover, at the request of the UN, PAM established and strengthened its engagement with parliaments in the Sahel and Sub Saharan region, as well as Central Asia and Latin America.
Soon, P will also conduct an official visit to Libya.
In addition, PM organizing together the UN OCT, the first ever parliamentary training course on legislative and policy measures to prevent and counter the use of AI in the new technologies for terrorism and violent extremism proposes held in Aman in November 2025.
Excellencies, PM will continue promoting a victim centric and gender sensitive approach across all counterterrorism domains, advocating for the protection, recovery, and resiliency of women, children, and the most vulnerable groups affected by terrorism and conflicts around the world.
Only through sustained parliamentary engagement, strengthened international cooperation with governments, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies, and inclusive strategies can we effectively respond to the evolving threat of terrorism.
I thank you all for your attention.
Thank you so much, Mr.
Rock Vice President of the PM.
I would like to give the floor now to doctor Andrés Alvesos Reyes, head of the Performance and Impact Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund.
You have the floor.
Thank you.
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let me just introduce by saying you are still speaking on the content of the first session.
I speak on behalf of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, which is a fund that supports civil society led projects on PCV and RNR in more than 20 countries in fully alignment with national governments.
Conflict affected and high risk settings today are among the most affected by violent troism and terrorism.
Actually, beyond the armed conflict and terrorism, the governments and communities in these settings face a of challenges such as weak governance, displacement, and environmental stress.
These overlapping crisis feeding each other and creating the varying conditions that these groups use to recruit and radicalize.
It's in this context that prevention can have actually the greatest impact, but is unfortunately relegated to a secondary role.
The GSRv governing board recently reaffirmed that prevention remains an essential pillar of sustainable security.
For more than a decade, GSRv and our partners have worked on PCV and R&R at the community level.
And has shown that locally led evidence based prevention can strengthen community resilience, can rebuild trust between communities and the state, can support rehabilitation and reintegration, and ultimately reduce vulnerability to violent extremism, especially in conflict settings.
The question today is no longer whether prevention works.
The question today is whether we can sustain it.
At a time of geopolitical uncertainty and evolving threats, there is a risk that more and more investment goes to responding to crisis while neglecting the very conditions that foster violent pessimism and terrorism and that would be a mistake.
Prevention is not an alternative to counterterrorism.
Prevention is an essential complement to it.
Prevention is at the heart of it.
It's true that prevention must adapt.
We need to address online radicalization, social fragmentation, and even the social effects of environmental stress.
But the experience has shown that prevention makes meaningful and cost effective contributions to long term security and stability.
I speaking to this session, prevention only works when it's multilateral, but also inclusive.
The SRF itself is a proof that with a governance model with 29 member states plus the European Union, but also civil society, think tanks, foundations, and private sector.
Finally, as member states undertake the 19th review of the United Nations global Coian strategy, GSRf strongly encourages continued investment in prevention, in stronger partnership with civil society and communities, and renewed commitment to multilateralism, national ownership, and locally led approaches.
Thank you.
Thank you, doctor Andre of GSRf, specifically for describing the difference between countering and prevention.
I would like to now give the floor to our last speaker from session one, and then we can move to session two.
Mr.
Jordan Street, head of the US UN Programs Safer World.
Yeah.
Thank you very much, miss Moderator.
Your Excellencies, delegates, ladies and gentlemen.
My organization, Safe World is an international peace building organization, and we work to prevent violent conflicts around the world.
In many of the contexts where we work and where our partners work, we see the deep connection between violent conflict and violent terror attacks.
Our policy and research work has studied the impact of counterterrorism strategies and approaches over the past couple of decades in all regions of the world.
As many have noted today in the room earlier, the majority of violent terror attacks occur in conflict contexts.
We still retain some concern with the mislabeling of some conflict partnies as terror groups, but understand that it is still true that conflict contexts provide the ripest territory for violent terror attacks to occur.
It should go without saying that responding well to violent terror attacks requires understanding and addressing conflict.
What a major study called no shortcuts to security analyzed counterterrorism approaches in 20 conflict contexts and showed us that while violent conflicts are complex and unique, prescribed groups have often tailored their approach, consistently and effectively forming and positioning themselves in response to significant conflict drivers where they operate.
Ultimately, a key conclusion from this work is that across multiple contexts, prescribed terror groups have shown a flare for conflict analysis and have tailored their approach accordingly.
Unfortunately, the majority of responses have often failed to match this flare and have often exacerbated the conflict dynamics that provide fertile ground for terror groups.
Responses rely on securitized means and do not understand how violent terror groups are manipulating conflict dynamics, then we're going to fall short when we're trying to prevent violent terror attacks.
Intimately connected to this is the failure to understand that gender is a critical part of violent terror group strategies in conflict contexts.
Our research has shown that violent terror groups understand and manipulate gender dynamics and in essence, employ a gender strategy of sorts.
These gender strategies might be reprehensible, but they exist and a failure of responses to understand how important gender is in the context of terrorism and counterterrorism is a major shortcoming again.
Moves to remove gender from counterterrorism approaches show an a historical approach and a lack of understanding to real world dynamics.
What is our recommendation to the UN and delegations seeking to do a better job in responding to terror attacks in conflict settings? Three things.
Number one, invest in conflict analysis and understanding.
Number two, include civil society and strategies and approaches and be deliberate about protecting civic space.
Our partners experience shows that those designing and implementing counterterrorism strategies need to invest in an understanding of local contexts, grievances, and conflict drivers.
The best way to do this is with civil society groups who are immersed in communities and are able to offer clear guidance.
Then number three, avoid lazy connections between peace building and counterterrorism.
Peace Building and counter terrorism are not two sides of the same coin.
There are certainly need for coordination, but this need for coordination does not mean merging or co opting.
With that, let me hand back to you, Mr.
Moderator, and thanks for the organizers for this session.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, Mr.
Street, Head of Safer World.
Now we are going to start the list from the second session.
I would like to give the floor to Major General Weis Wahid, Director General from the Maldive, over to you.
Thank you, co chair, Excellency, distinguished delegates.
In today's interconnected world, terrorism and violent extremism knows no borders, and neither should our response.
For small island developing states such as Maldives, strong partnerships and coordinated multilateral actions are essential to overcoming resource constraints and ensuring that our response remain sustainable and people centered.
Maldives continues to strengthen its counterterrorism framework in line with the United Nations resolutions and international best practices, including through recent amendments to the Anti terrorism Act that reinforce the rehabilitation and reintegration of returning foreign terrorist fighters and their families.
To date, the Maldives has successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated five families back into society.
We firmly believe that reintegration where possible and appropriate contributes not only to the security, but also to the social cohesion and human dignity.
Excellencies, Maldives adopts a whole of Nation approach to prevent and countering violent extremism through coordinated action by the government, civil society, and international partners.
This is where network multilateralism becomes indispensable.
The Maldives express its appreciation to UN OCT, CTAP, UNODC, and UNDP, and all our international partners for their continued support.
Through regional mechanisms such as UNODC supported South Asia Network of PV practitioners, the Colombo Security Coclave and Memorandum of Understanding, we have strengthened national capacity, information sharing, and regional dialogue.
This partnership demonstrates how collective actions enable us to address shared security challenges, excellencies.
Multilateral cooperation is not merely an option, it is a bedrock of our collective success.
Network multiism strengthens collective action by enabling countries to leverage their strengths, share expertise, and address global challenges.
The Maldives remains committed to strengthening cooperations and working with all partners to build peaceful, resilient, and inclusive societies.
I thank you.
Thank you, Major General.
I would like to now give the floor to the representative of Montenegro, Director General miss Tetiana Skovk.
It is a great honor for me that in the year in which Montenegro marks two decades of membership in the United Nations and on the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Global counterterrorism strategy, I have this opportunity to address you on behalf of Montenegro to jointly reflect on one of the most pressing issues of our time, the strengthening of global cooperation and multilateral response to the threat of terrorism.
Today's conference offers an excellent opportunity to reaffirm that security can no longer be viewed exclusively within national frameworks.
Cooperation, the exchange of operational information, comprehensive strategic frameworks, and joint initiatives are the only effective tools through which we can overcome both current and emerging challenges and threats.
Montenegro continuously develops strategic documents and legislative frameworks focused on both prevention and the fight against terrorism, radicalization, violent extremism, and the financing of terrorism guided by our key priority, which is strengthening societal resilience and Particular emphasis is put on fostering a social coercion, promoting inclusion, advancing media and digital literacy, and enhancing critical thinking while also empowering young people, women, and other vulnerable groups.
We devote particular attention to counter disinformation and malign foreign influence as well as to analyzing online radicalization, taking into consideration their potential to deepen social divisions and fuel extremist narratives.
However, the foundation of this approach not lie in isolation, but rather in strong multilateral and multi institutional cooperation and partnership across the entire UN and EU systems, as well as with our partners in the West Balkan region through the joint action plan.
I'm confident that today's conference will contribute to future efforts grounded in a comprehensive assessment of current environment so we can continue to define our strategic objectives and guide further action in accordance with the European prevent, protect, prepare, and response model.
With this in mind, I encourage member states, international partners, and organization to embrace an integrated approach that links and engage institution at all levels from the global to the local and to fully uphold the principles of multilateralism while ensuring unwavering respect for the rule of law.
Prevention whenever possible, decisive action whenever necessary.
This is the guiding principle that Montenegro follows in practice and a recommendation to our partners as we continue our collective efforts to confront contemporary security challenges.
Thank you for your attention.
Thank you very much, Madam Skok of Montenegro and I would like to give the floor to Madam Yolande Pier Beck, Counterterrorism Envoy, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Co chairs, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, coordinate, connect, converge.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a strong believer of the power of multilateralism.
As said by many speakers before me, it remains our most potent tool for addressing global threats that divide borders.
Today's increasingly complex, decentralized, and tech driven terrorism and counterterrorism landscape, we must further adapt our collective responses.
We cannot afford fragmented efforts or isolated strategies.
We need, indeed, network multilateralism.
To achieve this, we must prioritize real time information sharing and genuine hall of government approaches.
Through effectiveness lies in creating stronger synergies between vital multilateral fora.
We must bridge the gaps between the United Nations system, the global Counterterrorism Forum, including its inspired institutions, and the global coalition against Daesh.
These platforms should not operate in silos.
They must reinforce and complement each other.
We must coordinate, connect, converse.
Coordination alone is insufficient.
We must share outcomes, data, and strategic results broadly, and we must do so in a way that is accessible and actionable for practitioners on the ground.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands actively puts this into practice.
Together with the US, Turkey, and Interpol, we co chair the terrorist travel working group of the global coalition against Dash.
Involving Interpol is not a nice gesture.
It is a deliberate choice to bring frontline operational expertise into policy making.
We do not limit ourselves to global coalition members.
We invite all relevant partners dealing with these issues, including GCTF working groups and vice versa.
We systematically integrate the lessons learned by GCTF and their toolkits into the working groups and plenary meetings of the global coalition against Dash.
Where terroristic groups regrettably know how to cooperate, so should we.
Our shared aim is clear to combat terrorism at all levels in all countries worldwide.
Borders should not be barriers, and if multilateralism did not yet exist, we should invent it today.
Taking into account UNA, we stand at a pivotal moment.
It has been set.
It provides us with a unique opportunity to join our efforts and to optimize our input in order to be fit for purpose and the challenges we all face.
Let us seize this moment to build a truly interconnected counterterrorism network that leaves no room for terrorism to thrive.
Let us bring together the private sector, the experts and policymakers involved to make this fight against terrorism a success.
Let's coordinate, connect, converge.
Thank you.
I would like to thank the representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and would like to invite the representative of Nepal, Deputy Permanent Representative, Mr.
Guyan Bahadur Magar to take the floor.
Thank you.
Co chairs, Excellencies, Nepal commends the convening of this timely discussion and thanks the distinguished speakers for their valuable insights.
Tourism remains a great menace to humanity and pose a persistent threat to global peace, security, and development.
Its evolving dynamics are particularly acute in conflict hotspots and high risk context toward poverty, inequalities, governance gaps, discrimination, and social injustice create fertile ground for radicalization.
Violent extremists and terrorist groups exploit these vulnerabilities, transnational networks, and emerging technologies to recruit, intimidate, and trigger instability across nations.
In this context, co chairs allow me to highlight five priority actions.
First, stronger multilateral cooperation at global, regional and national levels and coordinated event system wide support are indispensable to combating terrorism and enhancing national counterterrorism capacities.
We must extenden collective efforts to prevent terrorist financing, enhance intelligence sharing and joint threat assessments, reinforce border security, improve the use of international databases, and protect critical infrastruc.
Second, addressing terrorism requires a whole of government, people centered, and preventive approach.
Strethening inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance, promoting dialogue and co creating political solutions are vital in building resilient and peaceful societies.
Third, while every state bears the primary responsibility to prevent and counter terrorism, international cooperation should reinforce the integrated and balanced implementation of the UN global counterterrorism strategy and global commitments consistent with national priorities and context.
The counterterrorism efforts must remain firmly anchored in the purposes and principles of the UN charter and international law, including IHLL and IT RL.
Fourth, Ensuring inclusive peace building efforts and sustainable development is critical.
Peace endures when nationally led solutions empower local communities, women, youth, and private sector actors.
The experience of Nepal and many other conflict affected countries demonstrates that when communities enjoy equal opportunities, justice, and the dividends of peace, extremist narratives lose their appeal.
Fifth, we must respond to the misuse of digital technologies for terrorist recruitment, financing, and propaganda.
Strengthening cybersecurity, enhancing early warning systems, and ensuring effective, responsible digital governance are essential.
Co chairs, Nepal unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations committed by whomsb, variable, and how able.
We do not allow our territory to be misused for any terrorist activity.
We have strengthened our national legal and institutional framework aligned with the UN global counterterrorism strategy to combat terrorism, terrorist financing, money laundering, and organized crime.
Continue to maintain close cooperation with FAF, Interpol, and regional mechanisms to disrupt illicit financial flows and bring perpetrators to justice.
Nepal stands ready to work closely with the international community to deliver on the places of the Pact for the future and advance stronger UN coordination through global counterterrorism compact for a future free from terrorism.
I thank you.
I thank His Excellency, the Deputy Permanent representative for Nepal and give the floor to misses Rchada Sutepkul Minister counselor from the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations.
You have the floor.
Excellencies, terrorism knows no borders and respects no boundaries.
It claims innocent lives, inflicts immense suffering and destabilizes whole societies.
No single nation can address this threat alone.
It demands sustained collective action.
For Thailand, a multilateral response to counterterrorism must be well networked, seamlessly linking national capacities and regional cooperation with international partnerships.
Our success should be measured not by the number of mechanisms created, but by whether they enable timely information sharing, coordinated action, and concrete results.
In this regard, Thailand wishes to highlight three priorities.
First, effective international cooperation must begin with robust coordination at home.
Our National action plan on counterterrorism 2023-2027 provides an integrated framework for interagency cooperation, while national guidelines on strengthening coexistence abit social diversity bring together government agencies and relevant stakeholders to prevent violent extremism through a comprehensive and whole of society approach.
Thailand has also strengthened coordination among national security agencies to address the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters, particularly those transiting through Thai territory.
Second, national efforts must be reinforced through regional and international partnerships.
Thailand works closely with the UN to advance practical cooperation.
In February 2025, we co organized with UNODC a national seminar for Thai prosecutors on the International Convention for the suppression of Acts of nuclear terrorism.
Earlier in December 2024, Thailand also host UN OCD regional meeting on advanced passenger information and passenger name record data under the counting tourist Travel Program.
At regional and sub regional levels, Thailand remains actively engaged on this front, particularly under Asean, Asean Regional Forum, and BMSk.
Third, multilateral efforts led by the United Nations must be streamlined and coherent to deliver counter terrorism outcomes efficiently and effectively.
In line with the UN UN AD Initiative, Thailand supports efforts to reduce duplication and strengthening coordination among relevant UN entities.
This coordination must lead to better implementation and measurable results on the ground.
Excellency, Thailand stands ready to share its experience, learn from other member states, and strengthen cooperation across borders, institutions, and sectors to build better network multilateralism on counterterrorism.
Together, we can bring concrete results and build safer and more resilient societies.
I thank you.
Thank you to the representative of the permanent mission of Thailand to the United Nations.
Welcome to everybody who's walking in and farewell to those who are leaving.
I would like to welcome Mr.
Yslambir Bab Bablav, Deputy Minister of National Security of Turkmenistan.
Distinguished conference participants.
At the outset, I'd like to express our gratitude to the organizers of this session, a session on how to counter terrorism and bolster regional security.
Today's meeting is an excellent opportunity to exchange opinions and to craft common solutions to issues related to contemporary challenges and threats over the last few years.
Geopolitical developments have given us cause for serious disquiet.
Conflict geography is broadening.
The political situation in various regions is becoming more tense and this heightens risks of terrorism and extremism.
International terrorism remains one of the main threats to our security.
It's one of the key drivers In fact, one of the key drivers of terrorism is the use by international terrorist organizations of sophisticated technologies in their activities.
They're using these extremist organizations are actively using the Internet.
To develop their activities.
In other words, cutting edge, digital technologies are driving the spread of extremist ideology.
The global counterterrorism strategy of the United Nations prompted us to adopt a national strategy to combat terrorism and extremism.
It covers the period 2026, 20 2030.
This document includes a whole host of measures aimed at enhancing the system we have for countering such threats.
We've adopted the relevant regulations, the aim of which is to protect critical infrastructure from terrorist threats as well as to improve the procedures we have For hosting meetings aimed at countering terrorism.
Terrorism and extremism became transnational a long time ago, thus effective cooperation between states, law enforcement agencies and international organizations.
And is vital if we are to counter the aforementioned threats.
For this reason, a precondition for an effective fight against terrorism and extremism is close knit international cooperation against this backdrop.
Turkmenistan attaches particular importance to cooperation at the United Nations.
Turkmenistan would like to reiterate its commitment to continue actively participating in international efforts aimed at countering terrorism and extremism.
We are contributing to strengthening peace, security and stability at both the regional and global levels.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Sasa, Excellency Bablev from Turkmenistan.
I would like to give the floor now to doctor Nasria Fhi Shahid Affair of the League of Arab States to the United Nations.
You have the floor.
Thank you.
Sara.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
At the outset, I would like to thank you very warmly, you and your co chair.
Thank you for steering this important meeting so deftly.
This is a meeting that addresses one of the most pressing issues that is our collective efforts aimed at international and regional coordination with a view to combating terrorism and extremism.
Now, the success of our endeavors will not be measured by new initiatives that are launched.
Rather, the yardstick for our success will be our ability to incorporate the various initiatives into a better coordinated and more coherent single system if terrorist organizations have managed to exploit cross border loopholes so as to build their networks.
At the same time, have we been as effective in crafting a cooperation network which bridges all of the gaps, closes all of the gaps, which terrorists continue to exploit for the League of Arab States, while the answer lies in multilateralism, networks, operational frameworks which bring together national, regional and international frameworks underpinned by trust, shared responsibility, and ongoing coordination.
Today, the challenge Is being addressed by many initiatives.
However, the challenge is actually to connect all of these initiatives and to partake in coordinated collective action.
Madam Chair, the League of Arab States believes that regional organizations can serve as bridges between international and regional efforts, as well as national implementation.
This must be rooted in capacity building.
Against this backdrop, the MOU signed recently between the League of Arab States and the United Office of Counterterrorism is a concrete demonstration of this networking.
It complements work with other international and regional partners, and it also helps to implement the global counterterrorism strategy.
Now the success of this approach cannot be boiled down to the number of partners, but rather to how it ensures consistency and complimentary implementation.
With due respect for the sovereignty of states and human rights, we will resolutely address the conditions which give rise to terrorism and extremism.
But conclusion the League of Arab States would like to reaffirm its commitment to ongoing activities working hand in hand with UN and its partners supporting the ninth review of the global counterterrorism strategy.
We do this rooted in our conviction that multilaterlism is not necessarily a loadsar for us, but it is a framework which can transform political resolve into better partnerships.
In today's world, terrorism knows no borders.
It is therefore unacceptable for international coordination to be still held hostage circumscribed by national borders.
Every loophole, every gap is being exploited by terrorists and every step we take towards enhanced collaboration is a step towards a more stable, a safer world.
Thank you, doctor Nara.
To be perfectly honest, This is a very difficult topic.
So we are trying to read out our statements as fast as possible.
A, Ambassador, permanent observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation OIC to the United Nations, please.
Distinguished co chairs, let me commend you and all panelists for your various perspectives on the theme of this session.
Without doubt, all recent UN texts and declarations have underscored the need for a multi stakeholder approach to combating terrorism and preventing violent extremism conducive to terrorism.
The PC for the future upheld a whole of government and whole of society approach to counterterrorism, including addressing the drivers of terrorism and the threat posed by the abuse and misuse of new and emerging technologies digital technologies and financial instruments for terrorist purposes.
The OIC actions prioritize the sharing of national and regional good practices on cybersecurity, disarmament, and non proliferation of small and light weapons.
This is in addition to addressing terrorism financing, border management, prevention of transborder organized crimes, and the development of communication strategies through the OIC South HCM.
Other OIC responses involve a collective action against Daesh or ISIS and the promotion of the regional stability through shared resources, capacity building, infrastructural development, and training for security forces, including dedicated rehabilitation programs for former militants.
For example, Islamic Development Bank, one of OIC agencies, has scaled up its post conflict rehabilitation efforts, including development of infrastructures and measures aimed at combating illicit financial flows.
On the promotion of culture of peace, upholding social justice, human rights, good governance, and fundamental freedoms as preventive counterterrorism measures.
The OIC has been working closely with the United Nations on the implementation of the landmark United Nations General Assembly resolution on Islamophobia.
To this end, the last high level segment held in commemoration of the International Day to combat Islamophobia on 16th March 2026 revealed that the global efforts towards promoting interreligious harmony is yielding positive results.
Many countries including Denmark, Sweden, Canada, Australia United States of America and other OSCE countries have taken actions by adjusting their legislations towards addressing anti Muslim hate among others.
All said, the OIC will continue to deepen its collaboration and coordination for the effective implementation of the global counterterrorism strategy.
I thank you for your kind attention.
Thank you, Ambassador Opel eru, permanent observer of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
I would like to give the floor now to Mr.
Ahmed Shide Muododa, Deputy Secretary-General Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The floor is yours.
Thank you, Dear Chair.
Today, traditional multilateral security architectures are under immense strain.
While some seek security through exclusive minilateral groupings, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SEO, remains committed to a more representative and multipolar world order based on the central coordinating role of the United Nations.
SEO offers a perspective on security that is inclusive and non confrontational.
SEO is not a military block nor a military alliance directed against any state or international organization.
We don't seek to ensure our own security at the expense of others.
Our history began in 2001 with a specific focus on security issues, including against the three evils, terrorism, separatism and extremism.
At the first summit, our leaders approved the Shanghai Convention on combating terrorism, separatism and extremism.
In it, we have developed a common definition of the international terrorism within our organization.
Dear Chair, the SEO member states are committed to implementing the UN Global counterterrorism strategy.
The SEO regional anti terrorist structure is working effectively.
One of the significant manifestations of cooperation in the field of security is the SEO joint anti terrorist exercises called Peaceful Mission, which have been regularly held in various areas on the territories of the SEO member states since 2003.
A total of eight exercises were conducted.
Note that these exercises are strictly regarding counterterrorism.
On December 2025 in the city of Tabriz, the Islamic Republic of Iran, special joint anti terrorist exercises called Sahan anti terror took place.
Dear Chair, in 2021, the SEO launched the modernization process, including its security instruments and operational capabilities.
We are transforming the regional anti terrorist structure in Tashkan into universal center to counter challenges and threats to security.
Furthermore, we are institutionalizing our response to transnational threats through new specialized hubs, anti drug Center in Duchambe Center to combat transnational organized crime in Bishkek and Center for International Information Security.
These centers allow us to respond to threats while simultaneously addressing both traditional and new challenges.
Dear Chair, as early as 2004, the SER presented an initiative to coordinate international structures in the Asia Pacific at the network.
This remains relevant today.
SEO believes that sustainable security can only be guaranteed by simultaneous comprehensive action for tackling socioeconomic problems.
We remain open to developing dialogue with the United Nations and other organizations that share our commitment to a peaceful and sustainable world free of terrorism and other challenges and threats.
I thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Saed Mood da, for describing a summary of the achievements of SEO.
I would like to now give the floor to Mr.
Farid De Mireli, Deputy Secretary-General of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, SCA.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the threat of terrorism remains a critical challenge for the global community.
SECA firmly believes that consolidating the efforts of international and regional organization is the only way to achieve the necessary synergy to counter this menace.
We stand resolute in supporting the United Nations in this joint endeavors.
Covering 28 member states spanning across Asia, SECA attaches the most importance to combating terrorism.
This commitment dates back to our first summit in 2002, where heads of states adopted a dedicated declaration eliminating terrorism and promoting dialot among civilizations.
Today, our practical cooperation is driven by the SICA catalog of confidence building measures.
Within its new challenges and threats dimension, the priority area of combating terrorism remains one of A's most dynamic pillars.
A historic milestone was achieved at the SICA summit in Astana where member states adopted the SICA plan of action on implementation of the UN Global counterterrorism strategy.
This has become the most comprehensive regional document of its kind in Asia.
To maximize our impact, CIC actively collaborates with global international partners.
We have established robust frameworks with UN, OSC, the League of Arab States, and Shanghai Cooperation Organization Anti Terrorist Structure.
Crucially in April 2024, SECA member states approved a formal partnership with UNIC We are currently finalizing a memorandum of understanding to institutionalize this relationship, opening a new avenues for joint products.
In conclusion, I thank the USD for organizing this timely conference and inviting us the SIA Secretariat remains fully open to closer cooperation to build a safer and more secure Asia.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Damir Li of SITA.
I would like to give the floor now to Mr.
Tarek More Al Madali Deputy Secretary-General, Arab Interior Minister Council.
The floor is yours.
Thank you, Your Excellency.
Your Excellencies, ladies and ladies and gentlemen, may the peace of God be upon you.
I would like to begin by conveying the greetings of the Secretary-General, of the Arab Interior Ministers Council and his wishes for a successful conference that provides the opportunity for information exchange and lessons learned and exploring more means of cooperation on counterterrorism within the four strategic pillars of the global strategy on counterterrorism.
Ladies and gentlemen, the threats of terrorism continue to represent the greatest challenge facing the world and the Arab countries in particular.
Terrorist organizations continue their criminal activities in multiple forms, in particular through their attempt to use technology and cyberspace, leading to negative consequences affecting different levels and requiring measures to address these terrorist organizations and to counter their activities, and at the forefront of these efforts must be the strengthening of coordination and coherence.
Your Excellencies, our ministerial council was quick to adopt several measures, including a memorandum on counterterrorism that was signed at a joint meeting of different ministers of the Arab countries.
There is also the Arab strategy on counterterrorism that the Ministers Council has adopted at the last meeting early April this year.
This strategy is the first such regional strategy that is aligned with the UN global strategy on counterterrorism.
In addition, multiple conferences and meetings and memoranda of understanding, as well as adopting guidelines on counterterrorism efforts.
We are also coordinating the persecution or prosecution rather of convicted terrorists.
Your Excellencies, terrorists are rapidly evolving their methods, and the Arab Interior Ministers Council continues to seek to be proactive in addressing the criminal and terrorist methodologies.
On the Arab level, there are close cooperation relations between the different countries and ministers.
In 2018, a memorandum was signed by the UN OCT and the Arab Interior Ministers Council.
Our secretarat is also committed to cooperating with the Interpol in counterterrorism.
We're also cooperating closely with the UNODC through a memorandum of understanding signed between us.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my thanks to everyone and wish a successful conference and results that lead to stronger prevention and coordination on counterterrorism.
We will also continue to increase and improve our cooperation with UN agencies on counterterterrorism, and we'll cooperate with all global efforts in this regard and may the peace of God be upon you.
Thank you, Mr.
Al Maji, Deputy Secretary-General of the Arab Interior Ministers Council.
We hope so too.
Ladies and gentlemen, Excellencies, we have five more speakers, and we want to exhaust the list so that everybody is given a chance to give the speech that they flew all the way to New York for.
So please bear with us.
I would like to give the floor to Mr.
Betzo Namanj Deputy Head Action Against Terrorism Unit, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, please, sir.
On behalf of Mr.
Neumanj who unfortunately had to step out to open a side event, my name is Camilla Boger.
I'm a senior advisor on anti terrorism issues and I will deliver the remarks on behalf of the OSCE.
Thank you, co chairs, Excellencies, and distinguished representatives.
Adré terrorism challenges is a collaborative effort which no single institution, government, or organization can manage alone.
The increasingly interconnected nature of violent extremism, terrorism, organized crime, digital abuse, and information manipulation requires responses that are significantly more cross sectoral and coordinated.
This is the core of networked multilateralism.
As the world's largest regional security organization under Chapter eight of the UN Charter, the OSCE contributes particular added value through its comprehensive security approach and field presences.
Through our network of field operations and their close partnerships with grassroots organizations, communities, and national authorities, the OSCE is uniquely positioned to support participating states in translating the United Nations global counterterrorism strategy and related international commitments into practical action at the regional, national and local levels.
One practical example is the OSCEs network of women professionals working on preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism in Central Asia and Southeastern Europe.
They demonstrate that effective prevention depends not only on formal coordination mechanisms, but also on trusted professional relationships, inclusive participation, and sustained engagement with local communities.
They also help ensure that gender perspectives and local knowledge inform policy discussions and program design.
Another key aspect of our work is the cooperation with United Nations and other partners, including the recent Regional Expert Council on rehabilitation and reintegration in Central Asia, coordinated with the government of Kyrgyzstan, UN OCT, and other partners.
We also work closely with the private sector to promote public private partnerships on countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, countering financing of terrorism, and protecting vulnerable targets.
Our experience reflects a broader lesson.
Networked multilateralism is most effective when it enables different actors to see different parts of the same picture and act on them together.
I would like to highlight a couple of priorities.
First, we need stronger connections between global, regional, national and local actors.
Second, we need to ensure that insights from civil society, women's organizations, youth networks, researchers and practitioners are systematically integrated into policy and programming in a meaningful way.
We also need partnerships that are flexible enough to adapt to emerging challenges, including online radicalization to violence, information manipulation, and the misuse of new technologies for terrorist purposes.
These challenges are evolving rapidly.
Networked multilateralism is not about adding more structures, but about making cooperation work better in practice so that different actors can respond faster, learn from each other, and act in a coherent and effective manner.
OSEE remains committed to working with the United Nations and all partners to advance inclusive, human rights based approaches to preventing and countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Thank you very much to the organizers for this session.
Thank you very much, distinguished representative of OSCE.
I would like to give the floor now to Mr.
Naufel Gahd, Executive Secretary, International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law.
Over to you.
President.
Co chairs, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, all protocol observed.
First of all, I would like to thank you for organizing this session and for choosing this title.
It is a titles which really resonates.
Coordination, multilateralism, coherence networks.
This perfectly illustrates this networked approach.
Since Friday, I've been meeting colleagues, partners, and institutional friends here because the landscape of the organizations combating terrorism is a very small one.
It's a small world and we need to make the best possible use of that.
We know one another and that is our strength.
At the International Institute for Justice and the rule of law, we see multilateralism as being two sides of the same mirror.
The first side of that mirror is our coordination, our joint activities.
The word coherence here is essential.
We are all convinced of that here.
We need to avoid duplicating one another's activities.
Being effective and efficient means benefiting from our complementarity because there are various different organizations here present, and we need to make the most of that complementarity.
For example, within the IIHA, our mandate is to strengthen the capacities of anti terrorist or counterterrorist actors.
It's a very specific niche activity.
We are therefore pursuing joint activities as a priority with organizations that have a joint mandate, UN OCT CTA, UNODC, and many others, each within their area of expertise, but in a complementary way.
For example, in November in Damascus, we held an activity for Syrian judges and prosecutors in the fight against terrorism.
This is a joint project that we carried out with EU UN, a global counterterrorism threat facility and IJ.
But it's also important that partnerships we put within the regional and sub regional context and for that reason, IIHA has developed partnerships with regional actors in particular, the African Center for Counter Terrorism of the African Union, the NATO Defense Against Terrorism Center of Excellence in Ankara, and of course, our partnership, our significant and operational partnership with the League of Arab States, and the Arab Interior Ministers Council, the AIMC.
As you can see here, our strategy is clear, different mandates but complementarity.
The second side of this mirror is the networks that we create among practitioners at the IIA.
Our mission is to equip and to network and to connect the women and men who tomorrow will need to work together in cross border investigations and terrorism cases.
I call this the IIA community of practitioners.
Currently around 11,000 alumni from 120 countries that make up this global community of prosecutors, investigators, and counterterrorism judges, 11,000 actors of the IOA that go beyond borders that transcend borders.
We can see tangible results from this.
For example, last month in the Hague, thanks to the support of the United Kingdom, we brought together officials from the Iraqi National Judicial Cooperation Center, together with some 30 magistrates from around a dozen European countries with the aim of strengthening the exchange of evidence and information in terrorism cases.
And in a few weeks, we will organize a similar operation in Duchemby thanks to the support of the Tajik authorities who I would like to thank in the context of a project that is financed by the European Union and which we are conducting in partnership with our sister organizations, the GCERF and Hadea.
In conclusion, as we've been saying since this morning, no country can combat terrorism alone.
I would therefore like to conclude on this adage that we all know very well here, you can go faster alone, but you can go further together.
If you want to go far, go together.
I can assure you today that it is this vision of networked multilateralism that the IIJ will continue to promote with all of our partners.
Thank you.
Then.
Thank you.
Tres Thank you, Mr.
Alfredo.
I would like to now give the floor to miss Esther Wadu rungu, UNOCT Youth Engagement and Empowerment Program alumni.
Thank you, Madam Chair and all the panelists for this insightful and much needed discussion.
Today, I would like to briefly share our perspective on networked multilateralism and the importance of youth participation in preventing and countering violent extremism.
Over the years, we have seen significant progress in youth participation in this area, including stronger international frameworks, the establishment of the UN Youth Office, as well as initiatives that have advanced youth engagement.
This progress provides an important foundation.
At the same time, it points us to a clear opportunity to go one step further and strengthen meaningful youth engagement.
As a UN OCT EEP alumni from Kenya and the founder of the Youth Empowerment and Advocacy Network, I've engaged with at risk young girls from the juvenile justice system and communities affected by violence.
One thing I keep coming back to is the fact that young people can experience the same similar conditions from marginalization to exposure to the same online spaces as well as the same recruitment network, and yet they very much often end up in different paths.
Research helps explain part of that.
It often comes down to whether a young person has trusted peer networks and is meaningfully connected to institutions.
In most cases, both are missing, and that is exactly the gap that the UN OCT Youth Engagement and Empowerment Program was designed to address.
In Kenya through Yip, 21 of us were brought together from 17 counties, forming a peer network and a direct line into the National Counterterrorism Center.
We leveraged our local observations to inform evidence based PCV recommendations, reaching 235 fields directly and thousands more.
More indirectly.
The center listened and our cohort was formally engaged and some of our proposals are now reflected in the Kenyan revised national strategy on preventing and countering violent extremism 2026 to 2013.
That shift really mattered because it moved us from a consultation state to active contributors in the PCV space.
Today, this model exists across Africa and Asia, demonstrating its value.
Yet it has not yet been institutionalized or scaled to the level needed to ensure meaningful and sustained youth engagement across contexts.
Building on this progress, the YEIP Alumni Network proposed establishing a youth liaison office within the UN or City, Office of the Under Secretary-General, providing a more permanent institutional mechanism to anchor youth engagement within the UN counterterrorism architecture through network multilateralism.
In addition, we identified three priority areas.
First, funding Direct fund directly youth led organizations, not only the institutions that speak on behalf of young people.
Secondly, meaningful inclusion across full policy cycle, from the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
Thirdly, accountability through the youth UN OCT framework with technical working groups regionally so that collaboration becomes more structured, maximizing its impact.
These practical steps will help us move from the youth engagement from an isolated good practice to a more systematic and institutionalized approach.
To conclude, the youth engagement in PCV is steadily advancing and Yep is proof of that.
The priority now is to strengthen the systems that enable young people to engage as trusted partners throughout the process.
Thank you.
As Santana Ester, I would like to give the floor now to Colonel Gustave Tavares Garcia, Director of the Counterterrorism Center, Dominican Republic.
You have the floor.
Thank you, Madam Chair, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.
The Dominican Republic is grateful for the opportunity to take the floor on a subject which represents one of the greatest challenges to peace, security and sustainable development of our nations.
Terrorism, in all of its forms and manifestations, constitutes a threat that transcends borders, weakens democratic institutions, violates human rights, and jeopardizes international stability.
In the face of this reality, we reaffirm our unequivocal condemnation of all acts of terrorism regardless of the motivation, perpetrator or place where they take place.
The Dominican Republic considers that building a future free of terrorism requires a global commitment rooted in international cooperation and a multi stakeholder approach.
Our country recognizes that an exclusively military or security approach is not enough.
It is essential to address the causes that can lead to violent extremism by strengthening the rule of law, education, social inclusion, and respect for human rights, and the development of opportunities for present and future generations.
As a state that is committed to international peace and security, the Dominican Republic will continue to promote dialogue, cooperation, and solidarity among nations.
The fight against terrorism is a shared responsibility.
Today, more than ever, we must strengthen our partnerships, act with determination, and remain united in order to leave future generations a safer, more stable world that is free of the scourge of terrorism.
The position of the government is clear.
Terrorism must be fought and rooted out wherever it takes place in all of its manifestations for the sake of peace, security, and the protection of all.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Colonel Garcia and now for our last speaker because I don't want to put too much pressure on him.
Doctor Mahmoud Ahmed El Fizi from the Prime Minister's Economic Consultant, Council of Ministers, the Government of National Unity, Libya, please.
Ladies and gentlemen, Libya is enduring a counterterrorism fight and at the same time is continuing to build its institutions and to unite the institutions However, I come before you with a record, not with a complaint.
Through our experience liberating Sir from Dae, I present two important points.
Second, the first is that Dash was not defeated through weapons alone, but through the unity of Libya that has renounced and rejected terrorism in all its forms.
Therefore, Daesh did not find a haven with our people.
However, the threat continues The second lesson is that support creates stability and not the other way around.
The condition of stability before support is the right order.
The states in the front lines are facing the threat with limited capabilities and then are hold accountable by the stable nations.
I say here that we have fighters in the Sahel region and elsewhere.
Because, of course, borders and if the borders remain as such, the threat will continue.
Therefore, Libya has a specific request to create a frontline window that provides capacity and provides support to and that we do not rely on completed political processes.
A loophole in one state is a loophole for all.
Ladies and gentlemen, I speak from the lived experience of a state that receives initiatives many initiatives that are European and that are UN based and that are bilateral.
They work in parallel and not in complementarity and sometimes in a duplication that depletes our resources.
Networked multilateralism in our perspective, means a simple issue, that there be a single entry point rather than multiple entry points that compete.
We call on the United Nations to connect the different parties for a united and comprehensive program in Libya that would be agreed by all and whose results would be measured annually.
Thank you very much.
Shukran sil and honorable.
Excellent, Madame Monsieur.
Excellencies ladies and gentlemen, distinguished participants.
That was the last speaker for this session, and we would like to thank all of the participants and all of those who have taken the floor today.
I would like to thank all panelists and special guests for their insightful contribution and all delegation for their active engagement in today's discussion.
This session has reaffirmed the importance of network multilaterlim as an essential framework for strengthening coordination and coherence in our collective counterterrorism efforts.
The United Nations Global Counterterrorism Coordination Compact remain vital instrument in this regard and today's exchanges have underscored the need to deepen partnership across member states, international organization, and other relevant stakeholders.
We trust that the outcomes of this session shall contribute meaningfully to our shared goals as we look ahead to the ninth review of the United Nations Global counterterrorism strategy later this week.
I would like to thank all participants for their presence and engagement, and I hope you have a very lovely stay here in New York.
Session two is now adjourned.