SG/T/3211

Activities of Secretary-General in Saudi Arabia, 15-18 April

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, initially scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, 14 April, to attend the Arab League Summit on Sunday, 15 April, stayed back in New York to address the Security Council on Syria.  Instead, he left New York on 15 April, arriving in Riyadh on Monday, 16 April, at 12 p.m.

On Monday afternoon, the Secretary-General visited the King Salman Humanitarian Centre and met with the United Nations country team.

The following day, he delivered remarks at the opening of the sixteenth meeting of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre Advisory Board.  In his remarks, he stressed the need to focus on prevention by addressing the underlying conditions that lure young men and women to terrorism and violent extremism.  “No one is born a terrorist,” he said, but added that unresolved conflicts and socioeconomic marginalization played a significant role in transforming grievances into destructive action.  He said the Centre should adapt to the changing needs of Member States and expand and diversify donor support if it was to succeed.  The Secretary-General also told members of the Board that in June he would convene a United Nations high-level conference of heads of counter-terrorism agencies of Member States to strengthen cooperation through new partnerships. (See Press Release SG/SM/18992.)

The Secretary-General also met on Tuesday with His Majesty King Salman and had lunch with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.  In the afternoon, he met with the Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, and they held a joint press conference after.

In the evening, he visited the headquarters of the Coalition Joint Forces to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen.

The Secretary-General left Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, 17 April, late at night, and arrived in New York on Wednesday, 18 April, at 12 p.m.

For information media. Not an official record.