Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) Review

Remarks by H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly

5 March 2021

Distinguished delegates,

Dear Colleagues,

75 years ago, the United Nations was established with the primary purpose of maintaining international peace and security. To achieve this objective, Member States agreed in the UN Charter to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace.

For decades, terrorism and violent extremism have been, and continue to be, one of the foremost threats to international peace and security. Unfortunately, all around the world terrorism continues to claim innocent lives and terrorist organisation continue to target civilians and security forces, attack public facilities, forcefully recruit children, radicalize young people and abduct and execute, civilians and security forces.

In order to finance their terrorist acts, these organizations engage in other forms of transnational crimes, namely, extortion and kidnap for ransom, drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking and prostitution, smuggling arms and refugees, and trading in human organs.

Terrorist acts, not only kill and injure individuals, they traumatize communities and societies. By targeting innocent people, terrorism is in fact targeting the rule of law, every fundamental human right, social wellbeing, development and economic progress. Thousands of people around the world each year become victims of terrorism.  Often, it is women and children who are most severely impacted.

Terrorism is a scourge that knows no borders. The impact of terrorist acts can be felt around the globe. Like all transnational threats to international security, cooperation remains the key to effectively countering terrorism.

Therefore, the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its regular review are crucial. Through its adoption by consensus 15 years ago all UN Member States agreed for the first time on a common strategic and operational approach to fighting terrorism. The Strategy, and its four pillars, embodies the enduring consensus of the international community for a comprehensive and principled blueprint to fight terrorism.

I want to thank His Excellency Mr. Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain, and His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Al Hassan, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman, for agreeing to serve as the co-facilitators of this important process.

I am pleased that we are meeting today in person to conduct this first informal consultation on the Seventh Biennial Review of the United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, which was postponed from the previous session due to the pandemic. The Report of the Secretary-General provides a welcome update on the implementation of the Strategy by the UN system.

The Review process is critical to ensure this Strategy remains relevant and attuned to Member States’ priorities. It allows the policy and implementation of the United Nations ever-expanding counter-terrorism architecture to be structured to meet the most pressing needs.

And today, many Member States are contending with changed political, security, social, economic, and human rights environments due to the pandemic. The threat posed by terrorism to international peace and security, sustainable development and human rights, has not diminished during the pandemic. Worrying trends that existed before have continued to evolve.  For instance, as pointed out in the Secretary-General’s report, the transnational threat from racially, ethnically or ideologically motivated right-wing individuals and groups resorting to terrorist tactics has increased.

The pandemic has magnified several emerging challenges at a time when many Member States have had to shift resources from counter-terrorism efforts, in order to address urgent needs in response to the pandemic.  At the same time, conditions that terrorists exploit to foment division, spread propaganda and recruit, both online and offline, such as distrust, hardship, and despair, have been exacerbated.

These worrying developments, both to the drivers and defences against terrorism, intensifies the significance of the observations and recommendations made in the previous report and the need to take actions guided by the Strategy.

We must remember that efforts to counter terrorism must not compromise human rights. I join the Secretary-General’s call for a renewed political commitment and adequate resourcing to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law in the implementation of all four pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

The UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy continues to be enriched by new resolutions, such as Resolution 73/285, which condemned the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, and all acts of violence and terrorism based on religion or belief.

I am alarmed by the increase in attacks, driven by such hate and share Member States’ concerns that this threat has grown during the pandemic. I encourage you to consider this dangerous trend in your deliberations. Member States must continue to be guided by their commitment, enshrined in the Strategy to take urgent action to prevent and combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

I applaud the continued active support of United Nations entities, through the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact, to develop and implement balanced responses to terrorism that take into consideration all four pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

This Review is taking place during the historic seventy-fifth session of the General Assembly and on the eve of the twentieth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks here in New York. Let these two fundamental events guide your active participation throughout the review process of the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy in our pursuit of a world free from terrorism.

I look forward to returning to this Hall on 28th of June this year to adopt the outcome of your Seventh Review of the Strategy.

I thank you and wish you all the best in your very important deliberations.