Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism
organized by the Permanent Mission of Iraq
[as delivered]
13 February 2024
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today’s event, hosted by the Permanent Mission of Iraq, is an opportunity to underscore the gravity – and, indeed, horrors, of violent extremism – and to meaningfully engage on how we can prevent such heinous acts.
We must acknowledge that there is an inextricable link between violent extremism and terrorism, which impedes the full enjoyment of human rights, inflicts pain and suffering on innocent lives, and erodes the core values that unite us as a global community.
Excellencies,
Unresolved conflict, ethnic strife, human rights violations, and abuses offer fertile ground for extremist ideologies to take root.
With technology and time, they have even more convenient avenues to evolve and spread.
It is, therefore, unsurprising that recent years have seen a steady rise in violent extremism.
This threatens all of us equally – and demands our collective action.
We all have a part to play in thwarting this threat – with urgency and unity.
Terrorism and violent extremism are not bound by national borders and therefore, requires cooperation at all levels. As such, the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is the key global instrument to enhance and coordinate our efforts in preventing and combatting terrorism.
As we move forward, we must approach this Strategy and others like it in the spirit of inclusivity in its implementation, with the participation of – and focused attention on – vulnerable populations, including women, girls, and youth.
We must also ensure, above all, that we place human rights at the core of our efforts.
As President of the General Assembly, I unequivocally condemn violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations as such philosophies have no place in cohesive modern societies.
Let us together galvanize action against extremism.
Let us find effective solutions to safeguard our future generations.
And let us unite in building more inclusive, peaceful societies in which violent extremism and terrorism have no home.
I thank you.
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