Seek Synergies to Help Build Law-Enforcement Capacity, Improve Criminal-Justice

 

Systems, Secretary-General Urges Global Counter-Terrorism Forum

 

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, delivered by Robert Orr, Chair of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), in New York on 22 September:

I congratulate the Governments of the United States, Turkey and all other Member States participating in the launch of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

Earlier this week, I hosted a symposium on international counter-terrorism cooperation.  I was heartened by both the high-level participation and the unflinching determination of the international community to work together.

The United Nations has made significant progress in mobilizing the world to counter the scourge of terrorism.  The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted by all Member States in 2006, was a landmark achievement.  We are now pursuing wide-ranging efforts to implement the Strategy by identifying critical issues, strengthening cooperation, promoting capacity-building, developing regional plans and countering the terrorist narratives, including through highlighting the plight of victims.

The Global Counter-Terrorism Forum is another important demonstration of collective resolve.  Let us forge a strong and effective partnership among the Forum, United Nations counter-terrorism entities and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force.  Let us seek synergies that will help us to develop law-enforcement capacity, improve criminal-justice systems, protect human rights and overcome extremism and radicalization.

Together we can strengthen our efforts.  Together we can build a safer, more peaceful world, in which our values are upheld and in which terrorism has at last been utterly rejected.

The entire United Nations system looks forward to meaningful and productive engagement with the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

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For information media • not an official record