A/68/PV.94 General Assembly

By its resolution 66/282 of 29 June 2012, the Assembly decided to undertake, at this session, an examination of the report of the Secretary-General, as well as the progress made by Member States in the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and to consider updating the Strategy to respond to changes. It is my pleasure to deliver the following statement on behalf of the President of the General Assembly. (spoke in English) “At the outset, I would like to thank the Minister of Territorial Administration and Security of Burkina Faso and the Deputy Ministers of Indonesia, the Philippines, Spain, Tanzania and Turkey for their participation in today’s fourth review of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. “I am also grateful to the facilitator of the draft resolution for the fourth review, Mr. Halit Çevik, *1442810* 14-42810 (E) Permanent Representative of Turkey. He has worked assiduously and consulted openly and broadly with Member States to arrive at a consensus on a draft resolution upon which the General Assembly will take action. “The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is a strategic and comprehensive policy framework to combat terrorism. Adopted by consensus in 2006, it signifies universal condemnation of terrorist violence and provides guidance to Member States through its four pillars. It is my hope that this fourth review of the Strategy will lead to a comprehensive and balanced implementation on the ground, which remains the primary responsibility of Member States, with assistance and support from the United Nations. The review also provides an opportunity to take stock of emerging issues and challenges that have grown in relevance over the recent years and to identify the areas where we need to do things differently or adopt different lines of action. “The Secretary-General, in his report A/68/841, entitled “Activities of the United Nations system in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy”, documents worrying trends in how terrorists operate and how terrorism can spread, including through the exploitation of political turbulence and weak governance, the abuse of the Internet, and the evolution of terrorist groups from centrally controlled outfits to a diverse set of loose networks. It further observes that long-term success in the global counter-terrorism strategy will depend on fuller implementation of pillars I and IV. “In that connection, I convened an interactive dialogue on addressing the conditions conducive to terrorism, including through countering the appeal of terrorism. During the dialogue, participants exchanged information on counter-radicalization, deradicalisation and rehabilitation initiatives. Many of those initiatives draw on partnerships comprised of multiple actors, including civil society. Those actors have the ability to penetrate vulnerable and marginalized sections of society. They engage directly with communities and their leaders, help build consensus and understanding on local issues, and contribute to socioeconomic development. Civil society organizations are also among the first to identify an emerging threat or violent narrative. Better collaboration between Governments and civil society must be encouraged, and the review provides us with a way to do so. “Support for victims of terrorism must also be a key aspect of our collective efforts. Victims continue to relive the horrors of terrorism every day, long after the media attention has dissipated and the attack itself has become a mere memory. The international community must come together to delegitimize terrorism by providing necessary support to victims of terrorism. We need new and innovative responses on that front. The United Nations Victims of Terrorism Support Portal, which was launched yesterday, is an excellent example of concrete and meaningful assistance to victims of terrorism, and I would like to express my appreciation for the efforts of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) in bringing the Portal to fruition. I repeat my call on all States to contribute to the Portal. “The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force serves as a vital framework to promote coordination and coherence in the Organization’s work against terrorism and to better assist Member States in the implementation of the Strategy. The review allows us to underscore and support enhanced coordination across the United Nations system and the central role of the framework. The establishment of the United Nations Counter- Terrorism Centre within the CTITF Office offers unique opportunities to seek synergies and leverage resources for the United Nations counter- terrorism work around the world and makes a significant contribution to national and regional efforts. It is my hope that it will further enable the United Nations to strengthen its counter-terrorism assistance to Member States on the ground. “For those efforts to ensure that the United Nations responds dynamically and in a more coherent manner to the evolving threat of terrorism, I would like to acknowledge and thank the Secretary-General. In particular, I note his efforts to mainstream counter-terrorism in the overall work of the United Nations system. “The fourth review is given new impetus and urgency by the growth of terrorism in several parts of the world, the evidence of which is fresh in all of our minds. The clear lesson to be drawn is that in such a changed and compelling international context, one where terrorism is showing that it respects no national borders, we need to be united, vigorous and purposeful in our response. “The review will set the direction of the United Nations system for the next two years, leading up to the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2016. It is therefore an opportunity to make the United Nations more relevant in the international effort to fight that destructive and deplorable malady confronting our world.”

I would like at the outset to thank the President of the General Assembly for having convened this high-level meeting on the fourth review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy was born of the desire of Member States to establish a single instrument that deals with the issue of combating terrorism in a holistic manner. It has the advantage of addressing both the scope of prevention and measures for combating terrorism. All of those measures are reflected in the Strategy’s four pillars, which are the best reference for Member States in their counter-terrorism efforts. The report of the Secretary-General before us at this review (A/68/841) provides us with a good understanding of the progress that countries have made in the implementation of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy and allows us to understand the evolving nature of terrorism. My country, Burkina Faso, strongly supports the full implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy as a comprehensive and effective framework for fighting terrorism. We reaffirm our support for the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force, whose activities range from conflict prevention and resolution to capacity-building, education, peacekeeping and health care, as well as other development issues that have found a place in our deliberations today. The Sahel subregion, to which my country belongs, has become the theatre for terrorist acts, suicide bombings and hostage-taking. It has been established that the groups that commit those acts use the fruits of transnational organized crime to achieve their purposes. We strongly condemn here today the abduction by Boko Haram of schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigeria, on 14 April and that group’s ongoing criminal activities, as well as suicide attacks against peacekeepers in northern Mali. My country welcomes the coordination and cooperation efforts being deployed by the countries of the subregion to address these phenomena in an integrated manner. Burkina Faso is a party to almost all of the universal conventions and protocols in the field of combating terrorism. At the regional and subregional levels, it is sparing no effort to ensure the successful implementation of the 1999 African Union Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism and the Economic Community of West African States Regional Action Plan to Address the Growing Problem of Illicit Drug Trafficking, Organized Crime, and Drug Abuse in West Africa. The Government of Burkina Faso has diversified its partnerships by joining with other actors in the field of counter-terrorism, while continuing to work domestically to fulfil its sovereign role of protecting its citizens. As part of those diverse partnerships, the Government of Burkina Faso actively participates in activities organized by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, including those relating to the issue of borders and capacity-building for the formulation of national and regional strategies. In 2013 alone, my country co-hosted a series of activities with several partners, including a workshop on countering violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel, co-organized by Burkina Faso, Denmark and the Centre on Global Counter-Terrorism Cooperation, whose findings led to the formulation of a programme of action for the region; a workshop on enhancing the coordination of mechanisms for preventing and combating terrorism, which provided the framework for the launch of the Integrated Assistance for Countering Terrorism Initiative in Burkina Faso; a workshop on integrating human rights in the fight against terrorism, which led to the development of training curricula on good practices; and a visit to Burkina Faso in November 2013 by the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) on nuclear non-proliferation. In addition to those initiatives, the Government of Burkina Faso has continued to take positive steps to allow for a better distribution of national wealth and to reduce the social divide as much as possible. To that end, it has been able to consolidate a social floor based on dialogue, a culture of peace, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. With regard to territorial surveillance and border control, the Government of Burkina Faso has adopted laws and regulations with a view to strengthening the operational capacity of monitoring bodies at borders. With regard to the suppression of the financing of terrorism and terrorist acts, several measures have been taken by our Government to prevent money laundering, in particular the adoption in 2009 of a law proscribing the financing of terrorism and the creation of the National Unit for Processing Financial Information. In the context of the effective implementation of the sanctions regime against terrorist groups and entities taking part in terrorism, the Government established a mechanism for the freezing of assets under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. Although it cannot be denied that it is the primary responsibility of States to undertake the fight against terrorism, we must acknowledge that the lack of financial and technical resources does not always allow the various relevant structures involved in the struggle to fully play their roles. That means that the issue of technical assistance to States should be treated with due attention. We hope that this fourth review meeting will strengthen the momentum towards greater cooperation in the successful implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. For its part, Burkina Faso reaffirms its commitment to the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and all other initiatives that contribute to the fight against terrorism. In conclusion, I take this opportunity to commend all multilateral and bilateral partners working with Burkina Faso and other Sahel countries to carry on the fight against terrorism in all its dimensions. That fight is shared and universal, and it is the duty of the international community to remain mobilized against the inhuman and deadly phenomenon of terrorism.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the States member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the fourth review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. At the outset, the OIC expresses its sincere appreciation for the tireless efforts of Ambassador Y. Halit Çevik, Permanent Representative of Turkey, and his team in facilitating in an efficient and transparent manner the consultations on the outcome of the fourth review of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The OIC strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including State terrorism, as well as individual and group terrorism, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes. It also underlines the importance of upholding international law, international humanitarian law, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. It is committed to implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in a uniform, sustained and comprehensive manner, bearing in mind that terrorism cannot be defeated by military force, law-enforcement measures or intelligence operations alone. The OIC stresses the central role of the General Assembly in countering terrorism and following up implementation of the Strategy, since it is the only United Nations body that enjoys universal membership. We reiterate that the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is an ongoing effort and a living document that should be updated and examined regularly. The Strategy’s success depends on balanced implementation of its four pillars. The OIC reaffirms the importance of making a concerted and focused effort to effectively address the root causes and conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, as set out in pillar I of the Strategy. This includes preventing the unlawful use of force and aggression as well as ending foreign occupation and political, economic and social injustices. The OIC continues to reject unequivocally any attempt to associate terrorism with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group. We believe that irresponsible statements that purport to associate terrorism with any religion, nationality or civilization are themselves a clear incitement to terrorism. We strongly condemn acts of violent extremism and incitement to commit terrorist acts and affirm the importance of bringing to justice any person who supports, facilitates, participates or attempts to participate in the financing, planning or commission of terrorist acts. The OIC is concerned about the increase in incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking by terrorist groups with the aim of raising funds or gaining political concessions. We emphasize the fact that paying ransoms helps to fund terrorist activities, supports their recruitment efforts and strengthens their operational capability for organizing and carrying out terrorist attacks. We advise against attempts by non-United Nations entities to categorize States in relation to terrorism financing without a basis in fact, and urge all relevant United Nations bodies to address the issue of the financing of terrorism in an impartial, objective, technical and non-political manner, and to take this important issue into account when dealing with such entities. We also reject the unilateral compilation of lists accusing States of supporting terrorism. We consider such acts incompatible with international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The OIC is concerned about violations of human rights that occur during efforts to combat terrorism, and about the broader impact of armed drone attacks on individuals and the psychological well-being of children, families and communities, which can include such effects as the interruption of children’s education, the undermining of religious and cultural practices and a reluctance to assist victims of armed drone attacks for fear of being caught in secondary strikes. The transparency and coordination of the activities conducted by counter-terrorism-related United Nations entities should be enhanced and duplication of effort should be avoided. While the OIC supports institutional coherence in the United Nations, we also emphasize the importance of respecting the mandates of its various organs, as outlined in the Charter. We recognize the importance of the regular briefings in recent years on the activities of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. We commend its efforts and strongly encourage it to continue with the same diligence and to keep Member States updated on its work. We also encourage the Task Force to enhance its consultations with Member States during the planning and preparation phase of its activities. The OIC stresses that implementation of the Strategy is first and foremost the responsibility of Member States, and we call for Member States’ enhanced engagement with the work of the Task Force. The OIC firmly believes that the involvement of United Nations specialized agencies, funds and programmes in the implementation of the Strategy as a whole should not affect their mandates and operational activities. We note with appreciation the important work being done by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre and its role in building Member States’ capacity to counter and respond to terrorism. We recognize the importance of strengthening support to Member States that request it for national implementation of the Strategy through enhanced technical assistance and capacity-building based on their national priorities. Finally, I would like to reiterate the OIC’s strong commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to assure the Assembly of our continuing efforts to implement the Strategy in a comprehensive and balanced manner.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the States members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). At the outset, our group would like to express its appreciation for the outstanding and dedicated manner in which Ambassador Halit Çevik, the Permanent Representative of Turkey, and his team have led the review process. The General Assembly’s adoption in September 2006 of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy marked a significant breakthrough in the fight against terrorism, as Member States recognized and committed themselves to a plan of action that expanded the global counter-terrorism framework to include not only law enforcement and other security measures, but also measures aimed at ensuring respect for human rights and addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, such as prolonged unresolved conflict, rule-of-law problems, violations of human rights, and social, economic and political marginalization. The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States reiterates its strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, and reaffirms its robust support for the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. For those reasons, CELAC emphasizes the importance of redoubling efforts aimed at achieving evenly distributed attention to and an integrated and balanced implementation of all four pillars of the Strategy. In that regard, CELAC takes note of the Secretary-General’s report on United Nations system activities in implementing the Strategy (A/68/841), which includes important inputs from all members of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and concludes with a number of observations and recommendations. CELAC notes with appreciation the Secretary- General’s recognition of the need for stronger coordination and coherence within the Task Force itself, and in that regard notes the appointment of the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs as Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and Executive Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre. Our countries hope that this will contribute to a more balanced implementation of the four pillars of the Strategy. We also note the Task Force Office’s efforts to enhance coordination and coherence by drawing up a comprehensive matrix of all projects and activities being carried out by the 31 Task Force entities, as well as through efforts to reform and revitalize its inter-agency working groups in order to promote coherence and reduce duplication and overlapping. Our Group has consistently recommended measures in that regard and therefore welcomes those important efforts. The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States shares some of the views expressed by the Secretary-General in section V of his report, and we fully endorse paragraph 112, which states: “Efforts to prevent and combat terrorism will fail if the international community creates more terrorists than it defeats by its actions. Adherence to pillar IV of the Strategy by observing the universal norms of human rights and the rule of law in the international community’s counter- terrorism activities is essential to the success of its efforts. The Secretary-General therefore strongly urges national authorities, particularly security and judicial bodies that are directly responsible for combating terrorism, to make more concerted efforts to mainstream human rights and the rule of law in their counter-terrorism policies and practices.” (A/68/841, para. 112) In that context, CELAC underscores that measures to combat terrorism must always be conducted in strict observance of international law, including human rights law, international humanitarian law and international law on refugees. Only those measures adopted in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the other relevant international norms can be successful and garner the broad support of the international community. Actions taken outside the international legal framework are unjustifiable, illegal and unacceptable. (spoke in Spanish) In that regard, CELAC recalls resolution 68/178, entitled “Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism”, adopted by consensus on 18 December 2013. Among the various relevant issues addressed in that resolution, the CELAC countries would like to highlight the right to privacy, which is essential to human dignity and a fundamental human right and whose protection is crucial to safeguarding individuals against the abuse of power. We are deeply concerned about the negative impact that State surveillance and/or the interception of communications, including extraterritorially, may have on the exercise and enjoyment of human rights. The Group strongly rejects the use of information and communication technology against any Member State in violation of international law, and underscores the importance of ensuring that the use of such technology is fully compatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, in particular sovereignty, non-interference in internal matters, the right to privacy and the norms for peaceful coexistence among States. Furthermore, we recall that any interference in or restriction of the right to privacy should be adequately regulated and subject to oversight and possible redress, including through judicial review or other means, to ensure that the measures are not without grounds. In the context of the global counter-terrorism framework, the countries members of CELAC reiterate their commitment to strengthening efforts to safeguard cyberspace and to promote its exclusive use for peaceful purposes and as a vehicle for economic and social development. Moreover, we reiterate our belief in combating terrorism through multilateralism. Likewise, we reject the development of unilateral lists accusing States of allegedly supporting and sponsoring terrorism. Such actions are inconsistent with international law. With regard to the establishment of the Al-Qaida sanctions regime by the Security Council as a measure in the fight against terrorism, the Group acknowledges the steps taken by the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities to ensure clearer and fairer procedures. In that regard, CELAC strongly supports the role of the Ombudsperson, which has significantly improved the transparency and impartiality of the delisting process. We are convinced that the Ombudsperson position should be made permanent and due process further enhanced in the sanctions regimes, in particular given the preventive nature of such measures. CELAC also wishes to recognize the important work carried out by regional and subregional organizations in implementing the Strategy and calls on them to strengthen their cooperation in order to succeed in the fight against terrorism. In that regard, we urge the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to undertake capacity-building activities in our region and to provide technical assistance, when requested, taking into account the specific needs and national priorities of our countries. The tools developed by that Office, including the counter-terrorism legal database, the online learning platform and technical assistance for countering the use of the Internet to promote terrorism, are extremely useful in preventing and fighting against that threat. Notwithstanding the significant efforts and achievements registered in implementing the Strategy, as noted by the Secretary-General in his report, CELAC remains concerned that terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to Member States and to the international community as a whole. Our Group is convinced that the adoption of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism is the only way to ensure an effective counter-terrorism legal framework. In that regard, we call on Member States to commit to resolving, at the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly, the pending issues that have hampered the achievement of such an agreement, in particular those linked to the legal definition and the scope of the matters to be included in the convention. Finally, the members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States reiterate their profound solidarity with the victims of terrorist acts and underscore the need to provide them all necessary support. Our Group trusts that the United Nations Victims of Terrorism Support Portal, launched yesterday, will give them a voice and facilitate access to support. CELAC also reiterates the need to prevent impunity for those who commit terrorist acts. In that regard, we call on Member States to continue to cooperate in that fight, in accordance with international law.

I give the floor to the observer of the European Union.

I am honoured to deliver our contribution to the fourth review of the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy on behalf of the European Union and its member States. We would also like to thank Ambassador Halit Çevik, Permanent Representative of Turkey, and his team for all their facilitation efforts in that process. The candidate countries Turkey, Montenegro, Iceland and Serbia; the countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Armenia and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. International terrorism continues to pose a highly significant threat to global peace and security. Our response must evolve and develop to meet the threats of today and confront those of tomorrow. The phenomenon of foreign fighters, for example, poses an increasingly acute threat that we all must face. There is a need to adapt to the new developments in terrorism and to take into consideration the implications drawn from recent terrorist attacks, such as the one that took place at the Jewish Museum of Belgium, in Brussels, on 24 May. To meet that challenge, the deepening of the international consensus and the enhancement of international efforts to combat terrorism continue to be key objectives for the European Union and its member States. Therefore, we fully support the United Nations key role in the prevention of and fight against terrorism in full compliance with international law and human rights. We will continue to strongly support international counter-terrorism cooperation and the promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law, which we believe to be its cornerstone. As respect for the human rights of all and the rule of law are the fundamental basis of the fight against terrorism and essential to all components of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the European Union is disappointed to not see more language relating to that important pillar in draft resolution A/68/L.50. The European Union pursues an integrated approach to counter-terrorism, combining prevention, protection and the pursuit of and response to terrorist threats and attacks. The approach is based on criminal justice, the promotion of the rule of law and the protection of, and full respect for, human rights, which permeates all European Union policies. Our objective, therefore, is to assist all countries through capacity- building in the fields of the rule of law, criminal justice and law enforcement, and the protection and promotion of human rights in accordance with international standards. Security sector reform is crucial for the implementation of pillar II of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Countries in transition are in need of ensuring sufficient capabilities to deal with old, new and evolving terrorist threats. They should focus on an approach based on the rule of law and respect for human rights in order to efficiently and credibly prevent and fight terrorism. We also believe that the financing of terrorism and, in that context, organized crime such as money-laundering, illicit drug trafficking, kidnapping for ransom or human trafficking, should be given more attention in the field of security sector reforms. Terrorism can also feed off of and increase political instability. There cannot be any sustainable development without peace and security, and without development there will be no lasting peace. The nexus between security and development, particularly in view of the post-2015 development agenda, needs to be mainstreamed throughout all national policies. The European Union therefore promotes a comprehensive approach to counter-terrorism, which includes security and development activities at the national, regional and international levels to better address the conditions conducive to the spreading of terrorism. The European Union very much welcomes the United Nations strategic framework, in particular the strong focus on the prevention of terrorism and countering violent extremism. The phenomenon of the radicalization of terrorism can be best addressed at the level closest to vulnerable individuals and in the most affected communities, including through engagement with non-governmental organizations, front-line workers, women, civil society organizations, including victims’ groups, local authorities, academia, schools, law enforcement and security officials. Education and youth exchanges are areas that provide a unique opportunity to help young people think critically about extremists’ views and discourse and can help expose such malign propaganda. In that context, the European Union welcomes the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum initiative for the creation of a global community engagement and resilience fund. Assistance to victims of terrorism and their families is a key part of the European Union’s counter- terrorism efforts. We aim to enhance the representation of victims’ interests at the European Union level and raise awareness among European citizens in order to strengthen European solidarity with victims of terrorism. In that context, the European Union and its member States welcome the web portal for victims created by the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) as an important initiative to raise global awareness and assist Member States with support programmes for victims and their families. The European Union and its member States are encouraged by the United Nations commitment to strengthening the coordination of relevant United Nations agencies and initiatives. Enhanced cooperation between CTITF, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and other United Nations bodies is indispensable for increasing the effectiveness of the counter-terrorism strategy. The European Union supports a more focused role of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre in the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The European Union shares the Secretary-General’s view that the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre must first and foremost be efficient in its delivery of resources for counter-terrorism assistance. In that context, the European Union and participating member States on the Advisory Board of the Centre seek to play a decisive role in assisting the Centre to define its future priorities so that it can become, within the CTITF, a centre of excellence with its own role and added value. The European Union is prepared to offer its support and expertise. Moreover, the European Union encourages closer coordination of United Nations actions with other key multilateral and regional initiatives, including the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, with its action-oriented approach to the coordination of counter- terrorism capacity-building measures, which could provide valuable contributions to the United Nations review, and on assistance for the implementation of the counter-terrorism strategy. Through its various initiatives, such as the Hedayah International Center of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism, in Abu Dhabi, and the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law, in Malta, to which the United Nations has greatly contributed through its input and expertise, important synergies can be created and scarce human and financial resources conserved. We must also cooperate more closely with civil society and the private sector to address challenges faced online while protecting the right to privacy and freedom of speech. The European Union has set up a forum with key players in the industry to discuss opportunities for closer cooperation and supports the production and dissemination of counter-narratives in that respect. The European Union welcomes the fact that the Security Council has taken significant steps to further reinforce fair and clear procedures for United Nations sanctions. The European Union commends the work of the Ombudsperson of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and reiterates its support to her unwavering efforts. In conclusion, the European Union views the Secretary-General’s report (A/68/841) as a useful step forward towards preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism in a comprehensive and multilaterally coordinated manner, with full respect for human rights and the rule of law. Therefore we fully support the report and, in that respect, are prepared to assist all countries in building adequate capacities and by sharing its expertise. The fight against and prevention of terrorism requires a long-term commitment and sustainable, transparent and credible structures. While even this will not entirely eradicate terrorism, we are convinced that it will contribute substantially to reducing terrorism in the long run. The biennial review is a valuable indicator for enabling Member States to detect implementation gaps. However, two years is a very short period in which to implement long-term counter-terrorism strategies and actions plans. In the wake of the tenth anniversary, in 2016, of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the European Union and its member States suggest that both the Strategy’s implementation and its review cycle be fully reconsidered, including through regular needs-assessment reports, in order to ensure that the United Nations maintains a current response to terrorism’s ever-changing nature. The European Union stands ready to play an active role in that regard.

At the outset, I would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the President for the importance he has attached to the review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. I would also like to thank Ambassador Halit Çevik, Permanent Representative of Turkey, for his efforts in coordinating our work, and to congratulate him on his successful efforts to help us reach a consensus on the draft resolution on the fourth review of the Strategy (A/68/L.50). The Algerian delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of our sister Arab Republic of Egypt on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. My delegation takes this opportunity to once again condemn, in the strongest possible terms, terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including all acts and activities, especially those that support, encourage, justify or promote it directly or indirectly. Terrorism has no religion, homeland or justification and cannot be ascribed to any particular culture, civilization or human community. Algeria would like to emphasize that it fully supports the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. My delegation endorses the outstanding efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force through its work as a focal point for the bodies and entities involved in implementing the Strategy. In that regard, I would like to stress how important it is that the Strategy document be kept open and susceptible to revision, enrichment and adaptation to changing developments and requirements for combating terrorism, including the evolving challenges that this transnational scourge presents. I would like to stress the importance of the comprehensive and integrated implementation of the Strategy and its four pillars, since in order to improve promotion of the Strategy in the wake of its third review, in 2012, further additional efforts are required if we are to achieve all the Strategy’s objectives in the coming years. I would be remiss if I did not underline the importance of consolidating efforts within the Strategy by enhancing cooperation at the bilateral, regional and international levels, strengthening capabilities and exchanging best practices and expertise on combating terrorism. In that regard, I would like to highlight the effective efforts of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre and the pivotal role it plays in consolidating the Strategy’s pillars while focusing on encouraging Member States to provide adequate financial and human resources for the Centre. Turning to the subject of the measures being taken to establish the position of coordinator for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts, we hope that the consultations on this matter will be completed so that all appropriate arrangements can be made, including establishing the terms of references and the legislative mandate of the position, which will undoubtedly constitute another effective mechanism for the coordination of relations among all stakeholders within the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. I take this opportunity to review a number of key aspects of Algeria’s approach to combating terrorism, based on our national assessment of the dangers and challenges that this scourge presents at both the national and the regional levels. Our approach is based in large measure on the importance of enlisting domestic support to ensure that the political dimension is significant. From that perspective, the national peace and reconciliation agreement proposed by the President of Algeria, which was endorsed by a public referendum in 2005, constitutes a solid foundation that has enabled us to restore civil security, national unity and effective social cohesion and solidarity. The policy has ended a national tragedy while providing compensation and support to all victims of terrorism and their families. It has also enabled us to improve economic and social development through the implementation of integrated and ambitious programmes that have helped to mitigate the effects of unemployment, open new possibilities for young people and encourage productive investments. We cannot achieve a lasting defeat of terrorism without considering its ideological roots and intellectual sources and without fighting the extreme narratives of incitement that attract and have an impact on some of society’s weaker and more vulnerable groups. Algeria has therefore worked to develop religious guidance programmes in line with the tolerant message of the Prophet Mohammed and to put in place multidisciplinary educational, civic and cultural programmes that can promote the basic principles of tolerance, peace and human rights. We have also consistently worked to institute reforms and review processes within our constitutional system aimed at promoting the values of democracy, the rule of law and public freedoms, and to make progress with economic and institutional reforms that can help to promote the pillars of development, social progress and the reduction of inequality. Algeria’s policy for combating transnational terrorism has a vital regional dimension, as demonstrated in our close multilateral cooperation in recent years with members of Africa’s Sahel region, aimed at combating the exponential increase in terrorist activities in that region initiated by Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. Algeria has also worked with neighbouring countries to strengthen cooperation in fighting terrorism throughout the region by setting up various mechanisms aimed at addressing security situations and political challenges in a way that fully respects the sovereignty and national unity of States and provides new opportunities for partnership and cooperation in the development, economic and humanitarian fields. I note that rampant security lapses in some countries of the region and the escalation of terrorist activities are closely linked to arms smuggling and drug trafficking. In that regard, my delegation wishes once again to sound the alarm and draw attention to the need to suppress the financing of terrorism with more firmness and resolve and to fight the phenomenon of kidnapping, hostage-taking and the exchange of hostages for financial ransom and political concessions. That tactic has generated large amounts of money for terrorist groups, thereby strengthening their lethal capabilities. Algeria is pleased with its level of cooperation with the United Nations mechanisms and specialized programmes in combatting terrorism, especially the training programmes developed in Algeria in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities. Furthermore, Algeria’s membership in the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum is another clear testimonial of its commitment to participating in any earnest effort to promote international cooperation against terrorism. With Canada, Algeria co-chairs the working group on strengthening capabilities to combat terrorism in the African Sahel region. Since 2011, it has also hosted and participated in a number of coordination and assessment activities aimed at strengthening capabilities and exchanging expertise in order to implement the best practices in addressing terrorism in all its aspects. In conclusion, Algeria hopes that the draft resolution that will come out of our deliberations in this meeting will be yet another effective building block within our collective endeavours to combat transnational terrorism.

May I first express our thanks to the President for convening this fourth biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy to review the progress made and update our response to the evolving challenges. I would also like to extend our appreciation to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his comprehensive report (A/68/841). We welcome the new summary matrix of the counter-terrorism projects implemented by the United Nations around the world, which will be a valuable instrument for better coordination. Turkey firmly believes that, by virtue of its universal representation and capacity to interlink various aspects in addressing terrorism, the United Nations continues to have a central role to play in combating that scourge. I wish to inform the Assembly that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu was scheduled to be here. But after his arrival in New York to address this body, he was compelled to return to Turkey in view of the developments in Iraq. At this juncture, I think it would be relevant and appropriate to share information in regard to the ongoing crisis in Iraq resulting from the horrific attacks by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The attacks by ISIL have broad security implications for Iraq, the region and the international community, establishing once again the transboundary nature of the growing terrorism threat. They are a telling example of the proportions of the threat of terrorism that we are facing. Later, I shall also convey the views of my Government on the review of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. ISIL launched attacks on 6 June in Mosul. At present, we may assume that ISIL has at least 3,000 heavily-armed militants operating in Mosul and its vicinity. The number of internally displaced persons is estimated to have reached around half a million. Meanwhile, the Turkish Government has already commenced a campaign to provide humanitarian assistance. Furthermore, I also wish to inform the Assembly with regard to the Turkish Consulate General in Mosul. Upon the launching of attacks by ISIL in Mosul, the Iraqi security forces fled the region and those responsible for protecting the Consulate General also abandoned their positions. That situation was reported to the Government of Iraq. Meanwhile, the fast- developing circumstances did not allow for the secure evacuation of the mission. Early in the morning of 11 June, a 900-strong, heavily-armed ISIL militant group seized the consular premises and moved its personnel, including the Consul General, as well as the family members of its staff, to another area of the city. Altogether, there were 49 staff and family members, with two babies among them. Moreover, 31 of our citizens have been taken hostage by the same group in a power plant in the Gyarah region. Currently, intensive efforts are under way and we have mobilized all available means to secure their safe return. We also have a number of citizens in the region. We are taking all possible measures to ensure their safety. Representations have been made to the Iraqi Government, as well as to the international organizations, including the United Nations and NATO. As for the Global Strategy, its success will depend on the ability of Member States to implement all four pillars in a balanced manner. It is also crucial to use our existing tools and mechanisms effectively, in particular those we have established under the framework of the United Nations. The bad news is that the threat of terrorism has proliferated ideologically and geographically. It has become less predictable and more atrocious. It is evolving faster than ever. On the other hand, the good news is that we now know more about the dynamics of terrorism and our collective capabilities against that transnational threat are enhanced considerably. The adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy by the Assembly in 2006 was a landmark in that regard. I reaffirm Turkey’s full commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. As emphasized by various General Assembly resolutions, it is of critical importance that terrorism not be associated with any religion or ethnicity. The Global Strategy provides good guidance for all. As the report before us articulately describes, in the run-up to the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Strategy we must make a concerted and focused effort with regard to the preventive aspects of counter- terrorism. At the same time, we must send a clear message to terrorists that there is no safe haven or immunity from justice. To that end, we must ensure the robust implementation of the universal principle either to prosecute or to extradite. No act of terrorism should go unpunished. While that is critical to our collective efforts to counter terrorism, perhaps more significantly, we owe it to the victims of terrorism. In recent years, it has become clearer that new trends, such as the threat from self-radicalized individuals, a growing exchange among locally active terrorist groups and the increase in the number of attacks on economic or otherwise sensitive infrastructure, require agility in our responses. Furthermore, we know by experience that the threat of terrorism is spread by violent and turbulent conflicts. Sustained conflicts not only provide groups involved in terrorism the opportunity for recruitment but also safe havens to increase their warfare capabilities. Such facts compel us to enhance the coherence, complementarity and dexterity of our existing counter-terrorism measures by developing new approaches and tools. We need to find the right balance between hard and soft power alternatives. Turkey is taking resolute action to implement the Global Strategy and to support the various United Nations initiatives with a view to promoting its integrated implementation. Our priority is first and foremost to enhance international cooperation and, where necessary, to assist capacity-building efforts. In that regard, we have concluded bilateral agreements in the field of security cooperation, the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime with about 70 countries. On the national front, we continue to align our counter-terrorism legislation with the international instruments. Since the previous reporting period, Turkey enacted a new law to counter the financing of terrorism in February 2013 and its implementing regulation in May 2013. A landmark in our counter- terrorism legislation, the law introduced a asset- freezing mechanism, as outlined by the Financial Action Task Force. In addition to our bilateral efforts, we continue to engage in the regional and international efforts to counter terrorism. Currently, together with the United States of America, we co-chair the Global Counterterrorism Forum, which is an informal and consultative global platform dedicated to complementing the work of the United Nations. We make intensive efforts to create synergies between regional organizations, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe and the Global Counterterrorism Forum. Last but not least, we give our utmost support to efforts to enhance dialogue and to broaden understanding among the various civilizations. Our co-chairmanship of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations initiative is the outcome of our resolute stance against any kind of polarization and intolerance. Turkey is proud to have facilitated draft resolution A/68/L.50 on the outcome of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with all partners for its implementation.

Let me begin by expressing my appreciation to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the activities of the United Nations system in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/68/841). Let me also thank the Permanent Representative of Turkey for facilitating the discussion on the outcome of the fourth review of the Strategy, contained in draft resolution A/68/L.50, whose adoption we support. My delegation also wishes to associate itself with the statement delivered earlier this morning by the representative of Egypt on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The report of the Secretary-General clearly indicates that the threat of terrorism persists. As a response, all of us, without exception, must not only remain vigilant but also prevent and pre-empt such heinous acts. We need not only to match but also to overcome the existing challenges and threats. The United Nations must continue to play an instrumental role in the global cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism. Indonesia, for its part, remains committed to the balanced and comprehensive implementation of the four pillars of the Strategy. Despite our many achievements in preventing and combatting terrorism, we still have homework to do. In the light of that, the fourth review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy Review provides us with an opportune juncture to learn from each other. As a departing point, we maintain that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, amounts only to the destruction of human lives and the breach of peace. Therefore, no reason whatsoever can justify or rationalize acts of terrorism. In that conviction, I would like to highlight the statement made in the report of the Secretary-General that countering incitement to terrorism should play a more important role in the implementation of the Strategy. Indeed, terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group. Indonesia believes that responding to the practice of manipulating religion for the purpose of terrorism must become an integral part of our counter- terrorism measures. In so doing, we must promote tolerance and empower society, in particular among moderates, religious leaders and civil society. As a multicultural country, Indonesia strongly believes in the efficacy of dialogue. Dialogue will not only bridge differences but also increase understanding. In our experience, understanding is the greatest recipe for tolerance and harmony. As we have been a victim of terrorist attacks, fostering dialogue among different faiths is an integral part of Indonesia’s strategy to counter the incitement to terrorism. We are now taking that initiative a step further by facilitating dialogue between convicted terrorists and moderate clerics under the umbrella of the deradicalization programme. To sustain the programme and to ensure that it achieves its intended result, the Government of Indonesia has outlined a deradicalization blueprint and a national programme on deradicalization. The blueprint includes a rehabilitation, reintegration and re-education programme for convicted terrorists, particularly those who have almost completed their sentences, in order to prepare them for their return and reintegration into society and to disengage them from their earlier groups. The blueprint also comprises a strategy for empowering society and the media in order to make the voice of tolerance and harmony more sustainable. Turning to another perspective, it is not without reason to say that moderates, as well as the promotion of dialogue, can provide an effective remedy for the increasingly alarming issue of foreign fighters. We commend the Secretary-General for giving attention to this issue in his report. We share his concerns that so- called foreign fighters may one day return to their home country and bring their radical ideology with them. Preventing and suppressing the financing of terrorism is also a critical part of combating it. It is therefore important that States have the capacity to identify, freeze and seize the assets of individuals or entities affiliated with terrorist organizations. In that connection, Indonesia has enacted a law on the prevention and suppression of the financing of terrorism that lays the necessary foundations for criminalizing terrorist financing and freezing assets belonging to individuals or entities affiliated with terrorism. We are confident that it will help Indonesia to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism while observing its responsibility to respect the rule of law. It is essential that the review process reinforce the importance of multilateral cooperation against terrorism, including the central role played therein by the United Nations. In that context, I commend the Secretary-General’s efforts to strengthen synergy among the 31 entities that make up the membership of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. We urge that those efforts be enhanced in order to increase efficiency, avoid duplication and ensure that every project of every entity has a significant impact on the ground. Moreover, we expect the United Nations to play a more instrumental and decisive part in resolving prolonged conflict and instability in certain parts of the globe. Indonesia notes the Secretary-General’s observation in his report that terrorist groups continue to take advantage of political turbulence and weak governance in order to further their cause. We have seen terrorist groups exploit such conditions to recruit and groom new converts. This fact again underlines the importance of the rule of law and of States’ capacity to implement it in accordance with the principle of national ownership. The different capacity levels of States when it comes to implementing the Global Counter-terrorism Strategy require us to intensify cooperation in capacity-building. In that regard, Indonesia continues to contribute to strengthening States’ capacity to prevent and combat terrorism, as reflected in the efforts of the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation, a prominent training centre for law-enforcement officials. Since its inception in 2004, the Centre has trained more than 15,000 law-enforcement officers from 70 countries. Indonesia is also of the view that ratifying or acceding to international conventions on counter- terrorism, and thereby taking into account States’ varying capacities for carrying out their obligations under the conventions, is crucial to further global cooperation. In that spirit, Indonesia has ratified eight conventions relating to terrorism, including, earlier this year, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. We are now in the process of ratifying more international conventions on counter- terrorism, such as the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents, and the International Convention against the Taking of Hostages. Let me conclude by highlighting the fact that the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy has provided us with a comprehensive and internationally accepted strategy for combating this menace. That effort against terrorism, however, can be successfully prosecuted only if the measures agreed on within the Strategy are consistently implemented in a balanced and comprehensive way. My delegation believes that these multifaceted, integrated and coordinated measures should be fully undertaken by all stakeholders. Together, they will address the conditions that are conducive to the spread of terrorism; prevent and combat terrorism; build States’ capacities to prevent and combat terrorism and strengthen the role of the United Nations systems; and ensure respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism. It has always been Indonesia’s view that only an all-embracing approach such as this can help us combat terrorism effectively. And only together, all of us, without exception, can we combat it successfully.

I would like to begin by thanking the President of the General Assembly for organizing this review meeting, and by acknowledging the work of the Permanent Representative of Turkey in facilitating the draft resolution on the fourth review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/68/L.50). I would also like to assure him of Spain’s solidarity with Turkey in the light of the events that have taken place in Mosul and the terrorist acts there of which many Turkish consular officials have been victims. The proposed text reflects positive improvements concerning victims of terrorism, some of them suggested by Spain, as well as on other issues updating the fight against terrorism, a constantly changing phenomenon with extremely worrisome aspects, such as foreign fighters and terrorism’s links to transnational organized crime. The reality is that terrorism remains a constantly evolving global threat. Even as we witness the proliferation of local or regional groups, we see terrorists acting alone with the ability to strike unpredictably in any arena. Nobody and no country can feel completely immune to this threat to the most basic principles of civilization and coexistence. The challenges currently affecting the African continent — from the Sahel and the Mediterranean to East Africa, and in the resurgence of terrorism in Nigeria, with the threat of its expansion into central Africa — are particularly brutal. An effective response to this phenomenon demands an integrated approach promoting security and development, in line with pillar I of the Strategy. International cooperation is more essential than ever before. Spain believes that the multilateral framework of legitimacy and consensus that the United Nations provides through the Strategy is the best way to combat this scourge. In order to make the best use of this valuable tool, it is essential to maintain a high level of proper coordination and internal cohesion in the entities that manage the fight against terrorism within the United Nations, and in particular, in addition to the sanctions bodies, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force Implementation Strategy, the Executive Directorate of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre. We especially welcome Saudi Arabia’s generous contributions, which open up many possibilities for the Centre and its Advisory Board. We also commend the work of the Global Counterterrorism Forum, in which we can disseminate and share analysis, recommendations and best practices for training and technical assistance with the full participation of the United Nations and to the benefit of the entire international community. We are increasingly seeing the importance of the Internet and social networks in the areas of radicalization and recruitment. We should respond with a vigilance and firmness that at the same time are compatible with respect for civil and political rights, and we should be able to count on the cooperation of the private sector. In the context of the conflict in Syria, the phenomenon of foreign fighters for terrorism who might represent a threat when they return to their places of origin constitutes a challenge that is not limited to Europe and the West. We should be fully aware of the seriousness of that challenge, which is global and requires increased exchanges of police information and intelligence, as well as measures at the local level to prevent such movement, in addition to the monitoring and subsequent reintegration of those who have returned. I would like to conclude my statement by mentioning Spain’s strong commitment to the victims of terrorism, which we reaffirmed yesterday through our support for the establishment of the new United Nations Victims of Terrorism Support Portal, in the context of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. Our support for victims must include not only the necessary demonstration of solidarity but also our commitment to providing a minimum range of assistance, protection and compensation measures. Only in that way can we turn victims into effective messengers of our system of values and freedoms against terrorism and the wanton and cruel injustice that it represents. Spain has been able to overcome terrorism through the excellent testimony of its victims and the rule of law within a criminal justice system that fully respects human rights. That principle is crucial to our fight, in particular since it is the moral duty of us all, but also because full respect for the rule of law allows us to preserve the legal order of our coexistence.

It has been almost a decade since we moved forward from a platform of platitudes in the fight against terrorism with the historic adoption of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy and its plan of action in 2006. The Philippines has faced constant threats of terrorism during the past decade. During our third biennual review, we informed the Assembly about our new laws against money- laundering and terrorist financing, which have strengthened our landmark law on terrorism. At that time, the Financial Action Task Force noted our efforts against money-laundering, counterfeiting and the financing of terrorism. For this fourth biennial review, our resolve remains clearer than ever. I join all speakers and other delegations before and following me in renewing our commitment against terrorism, which is one of the gravest threats to international peace and security. We also express our gratitude to the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the implementation of the Strategy (A/68/841). Its exhaustive attachments inform us of our contribution to implement the four pillars of the Strategy and its plan of action. In our continued endeavour to play our part in the global effort against terrorism, I am pleased to report that the Philippines has had successes in its recent efforts. On 23 March 2013, an Australian national, Warren Rodwell, was released by the Abu Sayyaf Group 15 months after his abduction. On 4 December 2013, after 18 months in captivity, Jordanian journalist Baker Atyani of Al-Arabiya was released. On 20 December 2013, a Taiwanese tourist was rescued by the Philippine security forces less than one month after his abduction. On 23 December 2013, senior Abu Sayyaf Group leader Fraser Hajan was killed after resisting arrest in an exchange of fire with police authorities. On 20 February, Philippine-Algerian documentary filmmakers were rescued less than one month after being kidnapped. On 30 May, just recently, a Filipina, Marcy Dayawan, and a Chinese national of mainland China, Gao Hua Kuan, were released in Sulu, southern Philippines, after their kidnap in a Malaysian resort in Semporna, Sabah. Just yesterday, joint military/police forces captured in Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Khair Mundos, also known as Abu Ayman, a leader of the Abu Sayyaf terror group wanted in the United States, who acknowledged having received Al-Qaida funds to finance bombings in the Philippines. In 2009, the United States offered a bounty of $500,000 for the killing or capture of Abu Ayman, while the Philippine Government, through its Department of Interior and Local Governments, offered 1.2 million pesos for the same purpose. I must stress that all the above are in furtherance of pillar II of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, although we can never be too complacent, as the fight continues. In terms of legislation, our anti-terrorism law is being further strengthened, while three draft bills on the strategic trade management of dual-use goods, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention are all being actively pursued in the Philippine Congress. In fact, just last month, during the visit of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Philippines signed a memorandum of understanding on combating international terrorism with Indonesia. A manual for collaborative intelligence, investigation and prosecution of terrorism-related cases has been developed with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. We also have a partnership with the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism on counter- radicalization and deradicalization, which developed a national operational framework. On 6 March 2013, the European Union and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute established the South-East Asia Regional Secretariat of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN) Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence in Manila and started to work on a CBRN national action plan with the Philippine Government. All such efforts are again part of the continuing efforts of the Philippine Government to address pillar III of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. On the local front, there is the target hardening programme, which seeks to raise security awareness in communities and to train them as force multipliers in monitoring and preventing terrorist attacks against vital installations and critical infrastructure, economic key points and places of convergence. The Philippines has continued its grass-roots efforts to help communities to understand and to protect themselves against extremist and terrorist propaganda. In fact, sports have also been a tool, for example, the annual Football for Peace initiative, which brings children from selected conflict areas to Manila not only for sports clinics but also to transform their outlook in life from a culture of violence to that of a culture of peace. All those efforts are intended to address conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, or pillar I of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. There is also the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Convention on Counter-Terrorism, which builds an effective criminal justice system by providing more legal tools for law enforcement and judicial authorities to fight terrorism, but which also respects, protects and upholds the rule of law, in particular civil liberties and human rights. That clearly demonstrates that the Philippine Government remains cognizant of its obligation under pillar IV of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We recognize first-hand that fighting this evil, in all its forms and manifestations, is very complex and difficult. But rather than submit to fear and paralysis, we have become all the more undaunted and determined. With the Strategy and plan of action, we have passed the point of no return. They distil our shared experience and best practices. We look forward to sharing stories on their national implementation as we seek to further improve them. We must remain ever more vigilant. The fight against terrorism should only unite us, in the spirit of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. I cannot end without adding our congratulations to Ambassador Halit Çevik, Permanent Representative of Turkey, for his masterful facilitation of our consultations. He continues to guide us through the details, without missing the big picture, leading us to the draft resolution that we are poised to adopt by consensus (A/68/L.50).

The United Republic of Tanzania welcomes the convening of the fourth biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. At the outset, we wish to thank the facilitator of the discussion under consideration, Ambassador Yaşar Halit Çevik, Permanent Representative of Turkey, for his excellent work. The adoption of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy in 2006 marked an important milestone in our collective fight against terrorism. The Strategy provides us with an invaluable platform for coordination and a multidimensional response to the challenges posed by terrorism. One of the lessons we have all learned is that, because of its breadth and reach, the threat of terrorism may only be overcome through concerted action and cooperation. In that vein, Tanzania has sought to ratify and implement the relevant global and regional instruments against terrorism. We have also enacted national legislation to foster the implementation of our national strategy as well as regional and international undertakings. Addressing the root causes of the scourge is our priority. We believe that dealing with the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, as stated in pillar I of the Strategy, is the best means to prevent the recurrence of such phenomena in the long term. It is our belief that giving priority to preventive aspects means tackling the underlying causes of terrorist acts, many of which are fuelled by situations of social exclusion and injustice. It is also necessary to promote democratic values and political, ethnic and religious tolerance along with cooperation for social and economic development. Terrorist acts are continually becoming more sophisticated, which makes it essential to strengthen cooperation and coordination, among others, to prevent and combat all forms of terrorist financing, such as piracy and drugs and arms smuggling and trafficking. Coordination must be stepped up in other areas, including information-sharing and the strengthening of legal frameworks. It is in that regard that my country has taken a variety of measures, including enhancing its national legal framework, strengthening measures against money laundering and enhancing all legal measures for preventing and prosecuting transnational crimes. Let me raise the issue of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and its relevance to terrorist acts, especially in Africa. Having read the draft resolution (A/68/L.50), we believe it apparent that this matter has not attracted the attention it deserves. Allow me to remind the Assembly that easy access to small arms and light weapons, coupled with their misuse, frequently fuels terrorist acts. It would therefore be a mistake for the draft to be silent on the subject of the fight against the illegal proliferation of small arms in our effort to combat terrorism. In keeping with pillar III, building States’ capacity to prevent and combat terrorism is a vital aspect of the Global Strategy. We thank the States that have worked with us, both in the region and elsewhere, in support of the Strategy. In that regard, we wish to recognize the support of our colleagues in the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community, both of which Tanzania is a member of and with whom we have regular working groups and joint initiatives. Respect for the human rights of all and the rule of law, as stated in pillar IV of the Strategy, is crucial in fighting terrorism, which must therefore not become a clash of religions, as terrorism has neither a faith nor a nationality. It is also important to let the victims speak by giving the survivors a voice. More often than not, the victims are hit twice — first physically, by the attack, and secondly in their dignity as human beings, when the murderers get all the attention and the victims, the survivors and their families are forgotten and left alone. In conclusion, it is our belief that, if we are to meet the growing challenge of terrorism, we are duty-bound to continue to promote close cooperation between all stakeholders. It will therefore be helpful for this fourth biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy to address strengthened coordination and emerging problems, such as the issue of the victims of terrorism and the matter of foreign combatants. The United Republic of Tanzania is confident that these are areas in which we can have an immediate impact.

My delegation would like to thank the President for scheduling this debate, at the conclusion of which we will adopt draft resolution A/68/L.50 on the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We would like to express our thanks to our colleague, Ambassador Halit Çevik of Turkey, for having so ably facilitated the process that will lead to the adoption of the draft resolution by consensus this year. On this occasion, my delegation would like to join others in expressing our shock at the attack by terrorists on a Turkish diplomatic post in Iraq yesterday. Since the beginning of this year alone, such wanton terrorist acts have sought to rend asunder the fabric of life in many of our countries, including Afghanistan, Belgium, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Pakistan, the People’s Republic of China, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. We particularly feel the pain and anger of our Turkish colleague today, reminded as we are of a similar heinous act of terrorism executed recently against India’s diplomatic post in Herat, Afghanistan, less than a month ago. We have been actively engaged under the President’s leadership in setting the stage for the post-2015 development agenda. We have reviewed many initiatives taken by us collectively here in the United Nations to strengthen, diversify and reform that unique multilateral institution, founded by us almost 70 years ago. In the context of that ambitious collective endeavour, we strongly believe, on the basis of empirical and emotional evidence, that no condition can ever justify or excuse any act of terrorism, nor can there be any recourse to the characterization of any conditions as “conducive” to explain such inhuman wilful acts of destruction. We therefore strongly believe that when commemorating its seventieth anniversary next year, the United Nations must reiterate up front its commitment to zero tolerance of terrorism in all its forms. The main strength and relevance of the United Nations is its treaty-based character. India, as a founding Member of the United Nations under Article 3 of the Charter of the United Nations, takes special pride in having contributed significantly over those almost seven decades to that strength. However, all those efforts of ours will have come to naught if we are being constantly derailed by the threat and challenge of terrorism. India was among those countries that identified almost 20 years ago the need for the United Nations, as the repository of codified international law, to build a holistic legal architecture that would address the global threat posed by terrorism. Since 1996, when we began negotiating such a legal instrument, terrorism has metastasized like a virulent form of cancer into a transnational monster. We cannot afford our usual glacial pace of negotiations to put in place the legal structure we need to counter terrorism, which infects all the pillars of our United Nations system, namely, international peace, security, development and human rights. India’s initiative in proposing in the General Assembly the idea of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism came out of the extensive debates all of us participated in at that time. It also came from our historic role, even before the United Nations was founded, in negotiating, signing and ratifying the 1937 League of Nations Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Terrorism. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of the Second World War, that Convention did not enter into force. I recall that background today because the grief on the faces of our colleagues from many countries impacted by terrorism compels us to focus on the urgent need to conclude and adopt the comprehensive convention on international terrorism. As has been agreed in the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Sixth Committee, which is drafting the instrument, without the comprehensive convention there exists a major legal lacuna in enabling effective international cooperation in the prosecution of terrorism. When terrorism is unanimously acknowledged as a major transnational threat, and in view of the fact that all of us reaffirm that terrorism “cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group”, the time has surely come to agree to bridge our differences in defining what terrorism is. The time has come in fact for all of us, including colleagues from those countries that are now facing the brunt of terrorist acts themselves, to agree to conclude the comprehensive convention on international terrorism by the date on which we mark the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations in September 2015. We have participated actively in the deliberations and drafting of draft resolution A/68/L.50, which will be adopted by consensus at the end of this debate. The draft resolution is a substantive review, as required by resolution 66/282 of 29 June 2012, of how we in the United Nations have progressed in implementing our Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its Plan of Action, adopted in September 2006. As the draft resolution we are going to adopt shows, we are all acutely aware of the challenges that lie ahead. Emerging new threats, evolving trends of international terrorism, the abuse of information and communication technologies — all of which are vulnerabilities for an increasingly globalized international community — require us to become more dynamic and quick to react in our responses. Member States that have to confront such threats, both old and new, in a more immediate context, have already taken such measures. India, for example, has taken important steps towards strengthening its strategic, legal and operational framework in the fight against terrorism. Our laws incorporate provisions dealing with all aspects of terrorism including conspiracy and incitement to terrorism. Our laws criminalize the raising of funds for terrorist activities, the holding of the proceeds of terrorism, the harbouring of terrorists, and the unauthorized possession or use of any bomb, dynamite or hazardous explosive substance or other lethal weapons. India has concluded more than 40 bilateral treaties on extradition and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. We have more than two dozen joint working groups on counter-terrorism with Member States as partners, including with all of the permanent five. India is a member of other intergovernmental initiatives taken to counter terrorism, such as the Global Counterterrorism Forum, the Financial Action Task Force and the Eurasia Group. We stand ready to share our national experience in countering terrorism with interested Member States. Turning now to the assistance given to Member States by the Secretariat in implementing the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, we find the report of the Secretary-General (A/68/841), dated 14 April 2014, to be a very interesting document. At the outset, we must note that the work in the Secretariat to counter terrorism is being implemented in parts by 31 entities, with no one point of coordination. In that context, we see merit in considering creating the post of a counter- terrorism coordinator in the Secretariat. Among the improvements since our last review in 2012, the report highlights the activity of the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF). We note that the major outcome and focus of the CTITF’s activity is in the area of capacity-building. A second major development is the work of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT). As a member of the Advisory Board of the UNCCT, India notes with appreciation the attempts being made to prioritize its capacity-building and awareness-raising activities, especially among Member States in Africa. As we have stated in the meetings of the Advisory Board, the UNCCT should engage more actively with Member States through a structured discussion on how it can be more relevant to the efforts being made by Member States to implement the four pillars of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. By doing so, the UNCCT will be better placed to utilize its regular budget allocations, as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s very generous grant of $100 million to it, announced in August 2013. The report, however, is troubling in some of its assertions, particularly in the analysis in paragraphs 10 to 19 dealing with developments in international terrorism. Similarly, we see the necessity of discussing how to overcome the issues mentioned in paragraphs 33 to 37, dealing with the challenges of preventing and resolving conflicts, and paragraphs 74 and 75 on the operation of the sanctions regime mandated by resolution 1267 (1999). We have a particular interest in paragraphs 97 and 98, which propose initiatives with regard to the victims of terrorism. We note with great concern the views in paragraph 104 that, despite the existence of Global Strategy and the efforts of Member States, the threat of terrorism has not been effectively countered. Due to all the foregoing reasons, my delegation would strongly urge that the General Assembly have an extensive discussion at its sixty-ninth session of the shortcomings of the Global Strategy, which we can then report upon to our leaders who will meet here in New York in September 2015 to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. We make the proposal because of the fact that the Global Strategy itself was mandated by our leaders at the sixtieth anniversary summit of the United Nations in 2005, and it would be most appropriate for us to provide them with such an assessment for their due consideration when they are adopting the post-2015 development agenda.

The Russian Federation strongly condemns terrorism in all its dimensions. We consistently support enhancing effective international counter-terrorism cooperation under the central coordinating role of the United Nations on the basis of the relevant principles and norms of international law, while, of course, avoiding double standards. We view the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy as a crucial part of those efforts. The Strategy combines the hard and soft elements of counter-terrorism activities and encourages States to implement the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. Strengthening the international legal regime against terrorism and increasing the number of participants in the relevant international treaties remain important issues. Concluding a comprehensive convention on international terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations is among the priorities. The Russian Federation is actively working to implement the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The Russian National Counter-Terrorism Committee has adopted and is implementing a special plan that outlines a comprehensive approach to fighting against terrorism. Our focus is on developing the counter-terrorism legislative framework, establishing specialized institutions and ensuring their effective operation, and improving law enforcement. We place particular emphasis on countering extremist ideology and on eliminating conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. We make use of the potential of civil society and the business community. As part of the preparations for today’s meeting, the Russian Federation submitted to the Secretary-General detailed information on the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is contained in the annex to his report to the General Assembly (A/68/841). The Russian Federation supports preserving the current balanced format of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, which allows the document to remain a universal platform for fighting against terrorism. As joint counter-terrorism activities become increasingly complex, State cooperation in such areas is all the more important and is fundamental to the Strategy’s implementation. Clearly, States should more actively find new ways to interact with civil society. It is important to ensure that the participation of non-governmental entities in counter-terrorism activities does not run counter to the principle of respect for the sovereignty of States or to the obligation and responsibility of a State to provide security. In the context of the changing terrorist threat, Russia underscores the need to step up international and national efforts in priority areas of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, such as preventing the radicalization of society, countering violent extremism, in particular in the form of extreme nationalism and neo-Nazism, and using information and communications technology for the purposes of terrorism. We support the work undertaken by the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force to implement the Strategy in those areas. We believe that the joint efforts of States, international organizations and non-governmental organizations should focus on promoting development as an alternative to crime and on establishing societies that reject all forms of terrorist and extremist ideologies. The increasing use of terrorism in current regional and other armed conflicts must be stopped. It may lead to the weakening or even the destruction, not without outside help, incidentally, of the very foundations of a State, which again plays into the hands of all kinds of terrorists and extremists. The tragic impact in Iraq is a clear example of that. Members of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant have kidnapped people in the country, including Turkish diplomats in the city of Mosul. In that context, the issue of citizens of various countries fighting in such conflicts in support of terrorist organizations, in particular Al-Qaida and affiliated groups, is being highlighted. Such groups systematically recruit new supporters, train them, provide them with financial and other resources, bring them to areas of conflict and give them an ideological justification for their unlawful actions. Those recruits spread extremist ideologies, engage in recruitment and organize terrorist activity in other countries. The conflict in Syria remains a focus for terrorist activity. People from the Arab countries, as well as Russia, Europe, Central Asia, the South Caucuses and North America, are fighting in that country. The phenomenon of terrorist militants coming from abroad is not, of course, limited to the conflict in Syria. The international community faces similar problems in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, Iraq, Libya, Mali and other hotspots. The fact that some of those militants return to their countries of origin or of residence is particularly dangerous. A precondition of their return is that they undergo additional sniper or mine training and commit to continuing the terrorist activity. Upon their return, they take additional steps to hide and change their personal identification data and place of residence. The threat of new terrorist groups being established has emerged in countries of origin, in particular. Their members comprise, for example, Afghan jihadists, as well as veterans of the Syrian conflict. Russia has actively engaged in the work on that issue in various international forums, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Global Counterterrorism Forum, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe. We need to be proactive in order to prevent new so-called international terrorist recruits from being sent to areas of armed conflict. In order to respond to that new challenge, we need a systematic approach that combines, among other things, the exchange of information, the strengthening of border controls, work in the area of transport links to identify militants arriving from conflict zones and joint actions to gather evidence of the involvement of jihad tourists in terrorist activities. It is important to fully utilize bilateral cooperation between the special services and law-enforcement organizations, as well as the border, customs and immigration services. It would also be appropriate to strengthen cooperation among State financial intelligence units, taking into account the fact that terrorist activities are rarely possible without financial support. It may be useful to draw on the potential of the International Counter-Terrorism Database. The idea of using one area of the Database for the real-time exchange of confidential information on terrorist fighters returning to their countries of origin was discussed at the thirteenth international Meeting of Heads of Special Services, Security Agencies and Law- Enforcement Organizations, held in Sochi on 8 and 9 April. National laws must be adapted with a view to effectively addressing the challenges posed by terrorist fighters. The Russian Federation has already taken legal steps to prosecute those involved in international terrorist activities. The federal law of 2 November 2013 criminalized undergoing training in order to carry out terrorist activities, the establishment of a terrorist group and its operation, as well as participating in such a group. In order to address the challenges of terror tourism, the Criminal Code establishes liability for joining an armed group not provided for under the laws of the Russian Federation and for joining an armed group on the territory of a foreign State not provided for under the laws of that State whose goals undermine Russia’s interests. Currently, we are implementing the principles that I have mentioned above in order to bring those suspected of relevant criminal activities to justice. We call for strong international cooperation to prevent private military firms and security agencies from recruiting personnel and training them as terrorists and mercenaries to be deployed in areas of armed conflict. We believe that we could more actively use the potential of the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism of 2005, which contains important provisions criminalizing the recruitment and training of terrorists, as well as incitement to terrorism. The Convention is open to accession by all States, including non-members of the Council of Europe. We hope that the specialized bodies of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and other regional organizations will contribute to an in-depth review of the issue and to drawing up recommendations that may also be appropriate for the United Nations. Measures to combat the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters should be implemented, while finding a proper balance between the need to ensure security, on the one hand, and to promote fundamental rights and freedoms, including the fundamental right to life, on the other hand. Attention should also be paid to the reintegration of former terrorist fighters into society, in accordance with the national legislation. The concerted actions of Russian special services and law-enforcement bodies and their partners from a number of States ensured security during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi and contributed significantly to the successful conduct of the Games. We are ready to increase this kind of cooperation. Beyond that, the use of sport as a diplomatic tool has the potential to become a very important part of our work on preventing terrorism and other crimes influencing young people. We are interested in participating in relevant international projects. Civil society institutions and representatives of the various religions could contribute significantly to explicating the motives behind radicalization and extremism and the lack of connection between radicalism and genuine Islam. Local religious communities can play a very helpful role in forestalling radical attitudes by raising awareness, especially among young people, of the risks involved and preventive steps that can be taken in order to keep them away from the influence of terrorist and other extremist activities. In that context, we would like to draw the Assembly’s attention to the international conference on countering radicalization conducive to terrorism that was held in Moscow in March last year. Alongside representatives of international organizations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, non-governmental institutions and members of the academic community, leaders of traditional religious communities also made a significant contribution to the conference. We intend to continue to develop the subject of countering radicalization in various international forums, giving particular attention to preemptive and preventive measures, suppressing financing for extremist and terrorist organizations and debunking their ideology. To that end, it is important to involve civil society institutions, including mass media, religious organizations and the academic and business sectors. We believe that implementing international anti-crime and counter-terrorism projects in Government-business partnerships has not lost its relevance. One such initiative, proposed by the Russian company Norilsk Nickel in 2006, is aimed at combating illicit trafficking in precious-metal ores whose proceeds are used to fund transnational crime and to a degree, probably terrorist groups as well. The major result of that project so far is the April 2013 adoption by the Economic and Social Council, on the recommendation of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and proposed by Russia and the Republic of South Africa, of resolution 2013/38, entitled “Combating transnational organized crime and its possible links to illicit trafficking in precious metals”. By the end of this year, in accordance with the resolution, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute should conduct a comprehensive study of the possible links between transnational organized crime and other criminal activities, including terrorism, and illicit trafficking in precious metals. We expect the work being done on improving protection of the tourism sector from criminal and terrorist threats, under the auspices of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Tourism Organization, to continue. The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice’s 2013 report on UNODC efforts on the subject reaffirms the importance to States of increasing study of this issue, a global challenge that it is essential the international community addresses. In order to reduce terrorism’s risks to the tourist industry, it would be helpful to develop relevant international recommendations with the participation of the business institutions concerned. In conclusion, I would like to underscore Russia’s commitment to the goals of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. We intend to continue to actively implement the Strategy at the national level, to participate in international anti-terrorism cooperation while recognizing its provisions and to actively share our experience in combating terrorism with the partners concerned.

I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his informative report on the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy and recommendations on the way forward (A/68/841). The threat of terrorism has not been reduced since the last review conference (see A/66/PV.118); rather, it is evolving in new and challenging ways. New terrorist groups emerge and take advantage of instability in various parts of the world, particularly the Middle East and Africa. The lines between terrorism, armed conflict and organized crime are increasingly blurred. The threat from so called lone offenders remains. Norway’s first-hand experience with the brutality of terrorism in July 2011 was committed by a self-radicalized offender acting alone. International cooperation against terrorism must adapt to this changing landscape. The need for the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and for coordinated action on the part of Member States is as strong as ever. Member States have primary responsibility for implementing the Strategy. Norway has made good progress in doing so, both at home and around the globe. Last year we adopted our first national counter-terrorism strategy, based on the five principles of prevention, protection, denial, cooperation and response. In January, we ratified the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, thereby ratifying all international conventions concerning terrorism. Earlier this week, our Government presented a new action plan for preventing radicalization and violent extremism. Using a Government-wide approach, it will address radicalization and violent extremism at home and abroad. The plan emphasizes early intervention and the importance of building on existing structures, and also addresses the issue of Internet radicalization. At the global level, Norway has made voluntary contributions, through the United Nations Counter- Terrorism Centre (UNCCT), the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), the Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other United Nations entities, aimed at assisting Member States in their counter-terrorism efforts and in implementing the Strategy, The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy provides for a balanced, integrated and holistic approach, and Norway embraces all four of its pillars. We welcome the emphasis the United Nations is placing on countering violent extremism and addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. Terrorism can be defeated only through a long-term approach, and focusing on the factors that lead individuals to choose the path of terrorism is important in that regard. Community-level engagement, counter-narratives and deradicalization programmes are important tools in the toolbox for countering violent extremism. It is important that such tools be tailored to local needs and challenges. Norway welcomes the establishment of the new Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund. Respect for human rights and the rule of law is the starting point for all our efforts against terrorism. Grave violations of human rights can create conditions conducive to terrorism’s spread. Norway remains convinced that effective counter-terrorism and the promotion and protection of human rights and respect for the rule of law are mutually reinforcing. In his report, the Secretary-General notes the increasing concerns about the impact on counter-terrorism measures on principled humanitarian action. As the July 2013 independent study commissioned by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Norwegian Refugee Council states, we need closer cooperation between the humanitarian community and donor States. Norway is concerned about the growing number of foreign fighters in areas of instability and conflict. Not only are they worsening an already fragile situation, they may pose a threat when they return to their places of origin or travel to other unstable areas. The Norwegian Office of the Prosecutor recently indicted three Norwegian citizens for terrorist activities in Syria on behalf of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. We must have increased international cooperation if we are to address the issue of foreign fighters. The United Nations has a special responsibility for coordinating global efforts against terrorism. We appreciate the work of the CTITF, CTED, UNCCT, UNODC and other entities. However, the role of the United Nations must be further strengthened in order to ensure that the international community’s efforts are as closely coordinated and integrated as possible. Improvement is needed in four areas in particular: first, internal coordination and coherence among United Nations Headquarters, field offices and Member State capitals; secondly, enhanced strategic communication within the United Nations and with external partners; thirdly, fostering more integrated responses between CTITF members and their partners; and fourthly, strengthening engagement with United Nations field and regional offices. Civil society can provide valuable input into the implementation of all four pillars of the Strategy. Norway encourages civil society to increase its engagement and underlines the importance of establishing mechanisms for such engagement. The post-2015 development agenda highlights the importance of addressing conflict to ensure development progress. It is estimated that by 2030, more than 80 per cent of world poverty will be concentrated in conflict-affected and fragile States, many of whom are faced with the challenges of terrorism. The impact of terrorism on development is illustrated by the recent abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria. Not only is that a horrifying experience for the girls and their families, it is an attack on their right to education. There is a need for counter-terrorism actors to deepen engagement with United Nations peace and security actors and development entities in addressing the broader agenda. In closing, Norway welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006, and I would like to reiterate our commitment today. Norway will work to enhance not only our domestic counter-terrorism efforts, but also our efforts at the bilateral, regional and global levels.

I should like to thank the President of the General Assembly for organizing this meeting and applaud the efforts of Ambassador Halit Çevik, whose involvement has contributed so much to the success of this fourth revision of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. I take this opportunity to convey a message of solidarity to Turkey following the absolutely odious and unacceptable abduction of its nationals and its diplomats in Iraq. France aligns itself with the statement by the observer of the European Union, and I would like to add a few words. Today, terrorism remains a major threat to international peace and security and is increasingly persistent and of a particularly changing nature. The international community is facing an increasingly diffuse, endogenous and violent phenomenon, as evidenced in particular in the self-radicalization process that led to the slaughter in Brussels on 24 May. It is fuelled by an increasingly effective control of communication networks by terrorist networks, which allows them to widely disseminate their message of hatred and to recruit and train an entire new generation of terrorists. We would like, in that respect, to firmly denounce the exploitation of religion for the sole purpose of justifying terrorists’ actions. They are neither combatants nor jihadists, but criminals. Increasingly mobile terrorist groups are managing to establish themselves and grow across entire regions. In West Africa, and in particular Nigeria, innocent victims are directly threatened by large-scale attacks or abject acts, such as the recent kidnapping of 200 young girls. France has mobilized its efforts, alongside the States of the region and other partners, at the Paris Summit for safety in Nigeria, held on 17 May. France, like many other countries, is particularly concerned about the issue of volunteers seeking to join terrorist groups operating in conflict zones. They constitute a growing threat to their country of origin in the event of their return and more generally for the entire international community. We are pleased that the draft resolution we will adopt (A/68/L.50) calls on States to cooperate further to curb this phenomenon. It appropriately complements the measures we have taken to update our national anti-terrorist measures, in particular our plan to fight against violent radicalization and terrorist networks, which we adopted in April. Its main objectives are to impede the movement of terrorists, primarily towards Syria; ensure prevention, reintegration, counter-speech and counter-propaganda on the Internet; and strengthen the judicial capacity to act against terrorist networks. France would like to further reiterate its commitment to the essential role played by the United Nations in the fight against terrorism. Indeed, we believe that the United Nations today remains a key player in mobilizing all Member States and strengthening the long-term capacity and consistency of their actions, given the new features of terrorism. That is why France gives its unconditional support to the promotion and implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. In that regard, I would like to reiterate that it is important to continue to develop special efforts for the implementation of pillar IV of the Strategy, which is dedicated to human rights, for example by creating new projects concerning this issue, as there are currently too few. Promoting the rule of law and respect for human rights remain, in the long term, the best guarantee of the effectiveness of our fight against terrorism. We are, in addition, particularly interested in multilateral initiatives such as those conducted by the Global Counterterrorism Forum. It is indeed engaged in an effective fight against terrorism, in line with current and emerging issues and based on increasingly closer international cooperation, which France is committed to supporting. In that vein, we look forward to the opening, next week, in Malta, of the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law, of which France is a founding member. The Institute will strengthen the capacity of countries in North and West Africa and the Horn of Africa by training a new generation of officials to deal with terrorism. It is commendable that the General Assembly was once again able to come to a consensus on our common Counter-Terrorism Strategy. This is a happy reminder of the universality of the condemnation of terrorism and the continuously renewed mobilization that is justified by the threat. France remains determined to do everything possible to strengthen the United Nations fight against terrorism in all its forms.