A/75/PV.89 General Assembly

At the outset, I would like to thank my esteemed colleagues Ambassadors Santos Maraver of Spain and Al Hassan of Oman and their advisers for their leadership, hard work, professionalism and patience in facilitating the seventh biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. I also want to thank the many United Nations entities that are working to fight global terrorism, including the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, and I am grateful to Under-Secretary-General Voronkov for his leadership. I hope that our positive partnerships and collaborative efforts will continue. For Israel, the adoption of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, is sadly not a theoretical or academic exercise. During the weeks in which we sat here debating the draft resolution, Israeli civilians from our capital in Jerusalem to Tel Aviv and Ashkelon sat in bomb shelters because of Hamas’s relentless terror attacks. Backed by Iran, Hamas, which has been internationally designated a terrorist organization, fired more than 4,300 rockets on young and old, women and children, Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel. Hamas, which explicitly calls for the annihilation of the one and only Jewish State, also held Palestinian civilians captive in Gaza, thereby committing a double war crime by using them as human shields as it continued to fire indiscriminately on civilians in densely populated urban centres in order to drive up the numbers of casualties and garner international sympathy. It is our hope that the 2021 Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy review will be an effective tool in the work of unequivocally condemning and combating those heinous acts of terror and ensuring that terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hizbullah and others do not hold the peoples of our region and beyond hostage. In that regard, Israel was glad to see important language retained in the resolution condemning the use of people as human shields. Terrorists must not be allowed to use schools, homes or hospitals to shield their murderous activities. The use of such horrific tactics epitomizes the flagrant disregard for international law and human life that characterizes groups such as Hamas and Hizbullah, and also poses great challenges for law- abiding States trying to defend their own citizens. The international community’s unambiguous stance on this issue underlines the challenges presented by modern asymmetric warfare in which democratic States confront terrorist organizations. Israel welcomes the latest resolution on the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Strategy review. It is comprehensive, multifaceted and promises to serve as a guide to tackling current and emerging threats in the area of counter-terrorism. It wisely takes an approach that is not simply reactive but proactive, offering tools both to prevent terrorism before it happens and fight it when it occurs. In that regard, Israel was pleased to see a number of issues that we had flagged at the outset of the negotiations expanded on in this version of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review. We applaud the focus on tackling the abuse of information and communications technologies by terrorists and the misuse of the Internet for incitement and recruitment purposes, which are emerging threats that have been magnified by the coronavirus disease pandemic. In that context, we embrace the call to the private sector to partner with local Governments to ensure that due diligence is applied by service providers. Israel also applauds the inclusion in the resolution of language that condemns the glorification of terrorist acts and recognizes that such actions serve only to incite further terror and must be unambiguously denounced. We also commend the addition of provisions relating to the prohibition of the financing of terrorism and the nexus between terrorism and organized crime, including the illicit drug trade. We embrace the appeal for enhancing maritime and aviation security as well as the that of vulnerable targets, including critical infrastructure in public places. We welcome the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review’s acknowledgement of the upward trend in hate speech and terrorist attacks targeting religious and ethnic communities, which includes an explicit condemnation of antisemitism, in line with the findings of the Secretary-General’s report on global terrorism (A/75/729). We are all aware of the antisemitic attacks against Jewish communities around the world, including, unfortunately, here on the streets of New York in recent weeks. It is critical to ensure that the international community takes a clear stance against those attacks and develops additional tools to combat such appalling assaults on Jews and other groups. As a member of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism and a country in which most if not all of our citizens have been directly affected by terrorism, we were pleased to see additional language included in the resolution addressing the unique needs of survivors of terror attacks. We look forward to actively participating in the first United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, to be held later this year. As always, Israel stands ready to share best practices and contribute to global capacity-building efforts in those areas and beyond, just as we have done in the past, in partnership with the United Nations and its Member States. Having said that, and while noting the many positive elements of the seventh and latest biennial Strategy review, we are extremely disappointed that it also includes provisions that could be interpreted as excusing or even justifying acts of terrorism and the killing of innocent people. Terrorism is terrorism and can never and should never be explained away, justified or excused, no matter what. We hope that in 2023, when the next update of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review is due, the Assembly will adopt a clear zero-excuses and zero-tolerance policy. Only when the international community recognizes and condemns each and every act of terrorism in no uncertain terms will we be able to fight global terrorism in an effective and decisive manner.

Peru wishes to thank Ambassadors Mohamed Al Hassan, Permanent Representative of Oman, and Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain, as well as their respective teams, for the professionalism and dedication with which they led the difficult and delicate process of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy review. We welcome the fact that the Strategy review resolution (resolution 75/291) was once again adopted by consensus, as has traditionally been the case since the original 2006 resolution on the Strategy (resolution 60/288). In that regard, we reaffirm its relevance and our shared responsibility to update it in the face of new challenges and realities. We believe that it is crucial to strengthen the synergies between the Office of Counter-Terrorism, the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Counter- Terrorism Executive Directorate within the framework of their respective mandates, in order to provide comprehensive support and technical assistance to States based on a proper assessment of their needs. That will help to ensure that the Strategy is implemented in a coordinated, comprehensive and balanced manner across all its pillars and in accordance with Member States’ obligations under international law, international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law. We also believe it is important and essential to consider the threat posed by violent extremism that can lead to terrorism. We must address inequalities and other structural causes, in line with national development policies and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 16. At the same time, it is important to prevent the radicalization of individuals and to strengthen our social fabric, together with stakeholders in civil society, academia and the private sector. The issue revolves around a struggle in the arena of ideas where we must combat the rhetoric of violence and resentment with a message of peace and reconciliation. It is clear that the political and socioeconomic crisis emanating from the coronavirus disease pandemic could reinforce and foster the threat of terrorism in the medium and long term by exacerbating the underlying causes and leaving more people vulnerable to radicalization and recruitment. In that regard, and while ensuring full respect for freedom of expression and association, we must prevent terrorist groups from abusing social networks and other more traditional civil- society platforms in order to spread and disseminate their terrorist rhetoric as a means of recruiting new followers, attracting funding and justifying their actions and those of their leaders. We therefore welcome the recognition in the latest review process of the role played both by civil society and the private sector in addressing the dissemination of terrorist content online and promoting an open, reliable and secure Internet that fosters efficiency, innovation, communication and economic prosperity, with full respect for international law, including the right to freedom of expression. In the fight against the financing of terrorism, the work of customs and financial intelligence units is crucial. The very nature of the problem we are facing demands that we improve the cooperation and information-sharing mechanisms between those entities, both nationally and internationally. In that regard, we believe that the Financial Action Task Force on money-laundering and its regional subsidiaries play an important role in encouraging and assisting States in strengthening their financial systems. By targeting their mechanisms and sources of funding, we will limit the ability of terrorist groups to attack. In that regard, we must stress the importance of addressing the nexus between terrorism and transnational organized crime that creates a dynamic of benefit to both. We welcome the inclusion of important elements that reinforce the Strategy by focusing on human rights and gender, as well as the importance of promoting international solidarity in order to support the victims of terrorism and guarantee their full right to access to justice. We want to remind the Assembly once again of the importance of finalizing the process on a draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism. It is vital that we redouble our efforts to that end. In conclusion, I would like to express Peru’s unwavering commitment and support to the work of combating the threats posed by this scourge.

Brazil welcomes the Assembly’s adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (see A/75/PV.88), and I commend the co-facilitators for their tireless efforts to gradually build consensus on this highly sensitive and complex issue. Terrorism is a multidimensional threat that can be addressed only through comprehensive approaches that take into account political, economic, legal and security factors. The General Assembly is therefore not only the best venue but also the competent organ to address the issue of international terrorism, as confirmed by the resolution adopted. The consensus adoption of resolution 75/291 conveys to the world our united condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of the motives behind it. We are pleased to see that while the seventh review maintains the overall balance of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, it also updates its content with a view to addressing some of the new and emerging threats. The discussions leading up to the agreement on the resolution were extremely difficult and contentious. One of the main reasons for that is the fact that we are designing a global strategy for a threat that we have never been able to define. Despite all the international conventions that criminalize certain terrorist acts, all the Security Council resolutions with binding obligations on counter-terrorism and the seven Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy reviews that have taken place, we still have no agreement on the exact parameters of what constitutes terrorism. We should not let a lack of clarity on issues with criminal repercussions be the norm in our work. For that reason, Brazil has been a staunch and persistent supporter of the efforts to develop a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. In that regard, we welcome the resolution’s renewed call to Member States to make every effort to finalize that international instrument. At the same time, we regret that the proposals to strengthen that call were not included in the final version of the resolution, even though they had received widespread support. The recognition that respect for the rule of law is a precondition for the effective prevention and countering of terrorism is ingrained in the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and Brazil welcomes the additions included in resolution 75/291 in that regard. Counter-terrorism measures must abide by international law, including the rules governing the use of force, human rights, humanitarian law and refugee law. It is particularly relevant that the seventh review once again recognizes that counter-terrorism legislation and measures should not impede activities performed in accordance with international humanitarian law. The call for the integration of human rights as a cross- cutting element of the Strategy is also noteworthy, as it reinforces the message on the importance of respecting fundamental freedoms when preventing and countering terrorism. Brazil welcomes the reiterated message urging Member States to respect and protect the right to privacy. On a final note, Brazil is pleased to see that the seventh review reflects the concerns of Member States about the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in terrorist activities, including in attacks on United Nations peacekeepers. We welcome the request that the Secretariat strengthen the mitigation of IED threats and support Missions in degrading IED networks. In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to express Brazil’s great appreciation for the adoption of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, as well as our unwavering commitment to the balanced implementation of its four pillars. As we reach the Strategy’s fifteenth anniversary, we are reminded that terrorism is still an ongoing threat that defies our sense of humanity and works to create an environment of indifference and chaos. To counter that scourge, the international community must distinguish itself from it, taking the notions of solidarity and legality as its guide. For solidarity reminds us to honour the victims of terrorism and to cooperate in preventing future attacks, and legality demands that we act within the parameters of international law, respect human rights, humanitarian law and refugee law and work in a manner that is consistent with the division of labour among United Nations organs, as established in the Charter of the United Nations. Brazil remains committed to contributing actively to those efforts.

Let me start by thanking the delegations of Oman and Spain for their great efforts and tireless work in co-facilitating the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and leading us to the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291. I would also like to thank the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism for its work as Secretariat, as well as those who led the smaller group discussions. Norway believes that the whole of the United Nations must play a central role in our collective response to terrorism. We will be most effective if we leverage and build on the expertise that exists across all United Nations Global Compact entities and in the field. The threat from terrorism and violent extremism remains high and continues to evolve. Our efforts must have a long-term perspective if we are to be successful. I would like to address four essential elements in that regard and highlight areas where we think the Strategy review could have been further improved. First, we need to increase our focus on prevention by addressing the root causes of violent extremism. Secondly, the prevention of violent extremism and the implementation of counter-terrorism legislation and measures must be human-rights based and gender-responsive. Thirdly, women’s experiences and leadership skills must be recognized and utilized by ensuring women’s full, equal and meaningful participation, including in Global Compact entities. Fourthly, we must make it a top priority to avoid negative effects on humanitarian activities and the shrinking of civic space when designing and implementing counter- terrorism measures and legislation. Norway firmly believes that terrorism and violent extremism cannot be addressed effectively by State authorities alone. Civil-society organizations are powerful counterweights to violent extremist movements and offer a valuable space for constructive engagement between society and the State. We welcome the fact that they were included in the thematic discussions organized by the co-facilitators in the lead-up to the review, and we thank them for their involvement and efforts. Overall, my delegation believes that there were some good updates to the Strategy review and that it will be an important document in guiding the work of the United Nations and Member States in the years to come. That said, the seventh and most recent review also represents several missed opportunities, including with regard to issues on which the United Nations cannot afford to wait to act until the next one. I want to conclude by highlighting a couple of them. First, the need for better human rights oversight of United Nations counter-terrorism efforts is still an urgent issue that can and should be addressed by the leadership of the United Nations now, despite the fact that no concrete solutions are offered in the Strategy review. Secondly, comprehensively monitoring and evaluating human counter-terrorism projects is the best way to ensure effective deliveries, and only by ensuring that can we make progress in fighting terrorism. We therefore expect the United Nations Office of Counter- Terrorism to step up its efforts and not only assess but also implement actions in that regard over the next two years.

We welcome the adoption of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, and we commend the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain for their great efforts in leading the consultations on the text. We thank the Secretary-General for his report under this agenda item (A/75/729) and for his efforts aimed at strengthening the performance of the United Nations in combating terrorism. The State of Qatar reiterates its condemnation of all terrorist acts as a serious threat to peace, security, development, human rights and the rule of law. The complex and transient nature of terrorist threats requires a comprehensive approach and collective action, highlighting the importance of the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy as a framework for establishing common goals and guiding national and international efforts aimed at overcoming that hateful scourge. Qatar is committed to the full and balanced implementation of the Strategy and its four pillars, as well as other international instruments and relevant Security Council resolutions. Given that commitment and our desire to be an effective and influential actor in countering terrorism and violent extremism, we have taken many qualitative steps at both the national and international levels and made great progress in that regard. Following the recent visit of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) to Doha, Qatar has continued to develop its national laws and regulations related to combating terrorism, terrorism financing and money-laundering, while improving the capabilities and coordination of the relevant Government agencies. We have established a national strategy to combat terrorism based on various initiatives such as educational support, youth employment and development aid, with the aim of promoting a culture of peace and combating the root causes of extremism and terrorism. We participate actively in international arrangements aimed at eliminating terrorism and preventing its financing, such as the Global Coalition against Da’esh, the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum and the Financial Action Task Force. We are also enhancing our cooperation with various relevant United Nations bodies, such as CTED, the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team and others. Qatar is one of the main donors to the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, thereby supporting its strategic initiatives and enabling it to fulfil the mandate entrusted to it in the areas of policy, coordination and capacity-building. We were the first State to establish a high-level strategic dialogue with the Office of Counter-Terrorism and we continue to engage with it periodically. We have been pleased to see the tangible impact of the activities of the Office that Qatar’s financial contribution has benefited, including through support for the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Coordination Compact, the holding of international meetings and regional conferences and engagement with partners from civil society, academia and the private sector. The State of Qatar contributes funding to a number of the Office’s pioneering capacity-building programmes, which have a practical impact on many important aspects of the work of preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism and addressing their effects. They include the Youth Engagement and Empowerment Programme, the Countering Terrorist Travel Programme, the Global Aviation Security Plan and the Victims of Terrorism Support Programme. We have also contributed to the launch of new initiatives within the Special Projects and Innovation Branch, such as the National Inter-agency Coordination Mechanisms programme, the Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Threats against Vulnerable Targets, the Programme Office to build counter-terrorism capacities and cooperation in Africa and the United Nations-European Union Counter- Terrorism Partnership for the Sudan. In addition to support for the Office of Counter- Terrorism’s resources, Qatar also contributes through other partnerships. In December we opened the International Hub on Behavioural Insights to Counter Terrorism in Doha under the auspices of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism. The initiative seeks to provide behavioural insights, collect and exchange experiences and support research in that emerging field. We are also pleased that Doha is hosting the Programme Office on Parliamentary Engagement in Preventing and Countering Terrorism, which was opened last week and aims to facilitate the development of legislative models in order to activate the role of parliaments in a number of related fields, including the rights of victims of terrorism. The State of Qatar cooperates with various bodies, both locally and internationally, including in the area of sport, through the Global Programme on the Security of Major Sporting Events and the Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism. That is done in partnership with the International Centre for Sport Security, a non-profit organization in Doha that works to protect major sporting events and prevent extremism through sport. In October, in cooperation with the Office of Counter-Terrorism, the first annual forum of beneficiaries of technical assistance is scheduled to take place in Doha in order to assess the performance of programmes and projects and to improve their design, implementation and alignment with the needs of beneficiary countries. We welcome the remarkable progress made by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism in strengthening its presence in several countries and its work on the ground so as to implement programmes actively and effectively. We welcome the priority that the Office attaches to human rights and the inclusion of a gender perspective in its activities. We also commend the efforts of Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and his team over the past year in continuing to effectively implement the mandate of the Office despite the challenges arising as a result of the global health crisis. The threat posed by terrorism is complex and constantly evolving, and counter-terrorism efforts must keep pace with terrorists’ exploitation of emerging circumstances, such as the coronavirus disease pandemic, as well as their ability to benefit from modern technologies such as virtual financial assets, artificial intelligence, drones and 3D printing, among other things. Our efforts must address every aspect of violent extremism, including Islamophobia and xenophobia. We also stress the importance of non-selectivity and of respect for human rights and the rule of law in the context of combating terrorism and violent extremism in order to legitimize our efforts and ensure their success and effectiveness. Political, economic and social injustices and human rights violations fuel the recruitment and incitement rhetoric of terrorist groups. And it is important to avoid linking terrorism or violent extremism leading to terrorism with any particular country, race, religion, culture or nationality or to equate terrorism and the legitimate struggle of peoples under occupation. In conclusion, we hope that the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy will contribute to strengthening the implementation of the Strategy’s pillars and achieving the common goal of eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela attaches particular importance to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, whose provisions, owing to their global scope, must be implemented in a comprehensive and balanced manner in order to contribute to the effective strengthening of global efforts to prevent and counter the scourge of terrorism. The Assembly’s adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291 (see A/75/PV.88), on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, is not only a clear example of the determination of the international community to achieve a world free of terrorism, but also a reaffirmation of its zero tolerance for such criminal acts, which we condemn in all forms and manifestations, whatever their motivations and wherever they occur. My country’s commitment to combating international terrorism is reflected in its accession to a significant number of international and regional treaties and conventions on the matter and the enactment of a series of legal instruments that among other things emphasize our national control and oversight measures in the fight against terrorism financing and money-laundering. Our country believes that international terrorism today constitutes one of the greatest threats there is to international peace and security. The acts committed by terrorist groups threaten the territorial integrity and political unity of States. They are criminal acts that not only create terror but seek to destabilize legitimate Governments and undermine their institutional order. All of that has a enormously detrimental impact on a people’s economic and social development, resulting from the deliberate destruction of national infrastructure and institutions. We believe that the growing and worrisome trend towards unilateralism through the illegal promulgation of lists that aim without any evidence to arbitrarily classify sovereign countries as alleged sponsors of terrorism, in addition to the misuse of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones, cyberattacks and electromagnetic pulse attacks to perpetrate terrorist acts, including on vital infrastructure, undermine international cooperation in this area and constitute clear threats and emerging trends that require greater attention and debate. We also underscore the need to redouble our joint efforts through truly inclusive mechanisms to counter the financing of international terrorism and combat the narratives and ideologies that fuel that scourge, including hate speech, intolerance and the growing trend of right-wing violent extremism, all of which are manifested in incendiary rhetoric that seeks only to exploit the divisions and challenges in every nation with the sole purpose of stoking tensions and promoting the perpetration of terrorist attacks. We reiterate that terrorism must be distinguished from the legitimate struggle of peoples under colonial occupation for the right to self-determination, and that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, civilization or ethnic group. We also cannot let this occasion pass without expressing our solidarity with all victims of international terrorism. We do so not only because we believe it is a moral imperative, but also because, despite the efforts currently being made to silence or play down its seriousness, our country has also been a recent victim of that despicable scourge, even amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. We want to state without ambiguity that the Government of the United States of America, which is taking shameful advantage of the pandemic to perpetrate criminal acts of economic terrorism and is proving a worthy heir to the previous Administration, is currently the most serious threat to peace and security that my country has. We can only reiterate that the use of terrorism and violence to promote the overthrow of legitimate Governments is clearly unacceptable. From this rostrum we call on States to engage in a frank and decisive fight against terrorism. There are no good terrorists and bad terrorists. There is only terrorism itself, and it must be unequivocally prevented, tackled and defeated. Today, in the midst of the worst pandemic that humankind has faced in the past 100 years, we must strengthen international solidarity and cooperation in every area for the benefit of humankind as a whole. The fight against terrorism is no exception. If we truly wish to achieve a world free of terrorism, we must join forces to comprehensively address its root causes. We must ensure genuinely strengthened and coordinated cooperation. We must adopt effective and innovative strategies that are adapted to each national context. We must strictly comply with our international commitments and obligations in that regard. And we must avoid double standards and the exploitation of that shared struggle merely to advance petty agendas or satisfy colonial ambitions for domination. Our common efforts will be successful only if we ensure full and non-selective compliance with the provisions contained in international instruments and the relevant United Nations resolutions on preventing and combating terrorism, including the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which among other things prohibit any transfer of arms or the financing, training and provision of safe havens to terrorists or mercenaries. In conclusion, we would like to express our appreciation to the Permanent Representative of Oman. We agree with other States, including the group of like-minded countries to which Venezuela belongs, that there were notable shortcomings in facilitating the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We therefore propose that in order to avoid a similar situation in future processes, we make progress towards a text that clearly defines the parameters of action of the co-facilitators, leaving no doubt that their task is to facilitate negotiations and never to impose their own views or proposals.

At the outset, I would like to express our thanks for the efforts of Ambassadors Mohamed Al Hassan, Permanent Representative of Oman, and Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain, in their stewardship of the meetings and negotiations on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. My country has been an active, effective and constructive participant in the negotiations over the past few months. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation on behalf of the group of like-minded countries (see A/75/PV.88), and we would like to add the following remarks in our national capacity. First, terrorism is a global phenomenon that knows no borders between States and peoples. That is an undeniable truth that we cannot ignore. Those who think that they can survive by acting alone against this threat are mistaken. We must work for a United Nations initiative that ensures that the Strategy is periodically reviewed in order to enhance our collective efforts and enable us to face the changing and evolving threat of terrorism. It is unfortunate that the seventh review included attempts by several States to prioritize their own individual interests over our collective interests. They selfishly sought to protect the security and stability of their own societies while jeopardizing those of other States through terrorism and extremist takfiri ideology. Secondly, my country is fully aware that addressing the problem of terrorism requires varying approaches and continued reviews of the strategies for confronting terrorist threats over the short, medium and long term. There is no doubt that national legislation and international instruments are cornerstones in the work of tackling the threat of terrorism. However, the biggest challenge is still the practical implementation of those provisions, especially considering that the effectiveness of any legal text hinges on its implementation. Terrorist crimes have serious global repercussions. We therefore stress the importance of national ownership and leadership in combating terrorism, in cooperation with the United Nations and its relevant organs, in order to ensure respect of the sovereignty and independence of States. The fight against terrorism must never be used as a pretext to interfere in the domestic affairs of Member States, launch aggressions against them or occupy parts of their territories based on distorted interpretations of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Article 51, or of the provisions of international law, international humanitarian law and other relevant international counter-terrorism resolutions. My delegation regrets that certain States implement double standards and selective policies in addressing the threat of global terrorism, often exploiting it to serve their narrow national interests. Thirdly, my country has suffered from acts of global terrorism of unprecedented levels over a long period of time, with the participation of States, Governments, financial institutions and intelligence services. The Syrian Government has made tremendous efforts to address this multifaceted trend of global terrorism. We therefore have vast experience in combating terrorism that could be harnessed and built on in any current or future review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Syria has highlighted the nature of the terrorist threat facing our States for decades. We have consistently cooperated with the United Nations and other relevant international actors, demanding that practical steps be taken by decision-makers to combat this international threat and cut off its sources of funding, including by preventing the flow of financing to terrorist organizations, especially those that have surfaced in our region during the past decade, such as the terrorist organizations the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Dae’sh) and the Al-Nusra Front, with their affiliated individuals, institutions and entities. In that regard, my delegation notes that resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, includes references to grave concerns about the policies of States that export or give safe passage to foreign terrorist fighters through their territories. However, we believe that we need serious and decisive action to prevent the flow of foreign terrorist fighters and hold to account the Governments of the countries that sponsor them. We must end the use of terrorism as a tool that serves the foreign policies of certain Member States and targets others. Fourthly, one specific outcome of certain Governments’ aggressive policies towards Syria has been the export of thousands of foreign terrorist fighters and their families from more than 100 countries. They are on Syrian territory to serve the destructive agendas of those countries, and that has become a global problem. Instead of supporting Syria and other countries in addressing the problem by repatriating such individuals to their places of origin and holding them accountable, the Governments of some countries shirk their legal obligations and take unilateral steps such as cancelling residencies or citizenship, or other policies that complicate the problem and therefore fail to resolve it. In that regard we would like to point to the attempts by certain terrorism-sponsoring States in Syria to play a leading role in the Strategy review process for the repatriation of those foreign terrorist fighters and their families. Those attempts do not mean that they can avoid their responsibility for the terrorist crimes committed against the people of Syria. The most recent attempts to rebrand those terrorist organizations, at the forefront of which are the Al-Nusra Front and its affiliated entities such as the White Helmets, and to give them a clean slate, does not prevent them from being considered terrorist organizations and does not mean that those States are no longer responsible for giving rise to such terrorist organizations and supporting their own agendas. Fifthly, some Member States tend to classify individual States with no legal or legitimate basis and include their names on what they claim to be lists of countries that sponsor terrorism. They also establish illegitimate coalitions on the pretext of fighting terrorism, without authorization from the United Nations or permission from the State concerned. Their claims to fight terrorism therefore have no credibility whatsoever. Sixthly, the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy attaches great importance to addressing the root causes of terrorism and its embracing environment. In that context, my delegation stresses the need to address the increase in hate and incitement speech, discrimination and religions contempt on the part of some populist movements in Western countries. We stress that we must uphold the values and principles of international law and put an end to aggressions, occupation and the fuelling of protracted crises. We must also end unilateral coercive measures that target vital or humanitarian sectors in affected States. That has often led to misguided young people being recruited by terrorist organizations, which are able to find new elements, buy their loyalty and create an environment that nurtures them thanks to certain Governments’ generous funding of terrorist groups that serve their agendas. In conclusion, my delegation stresses that the Government of Syria will continue to exercise its sovereign right and national duty to end terrorism in all its forms and cut off its sources of funding with a view to guaranteeing the security, safety and prosperity of the Syrian people.

Egypt aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Islamic Group (see A/75/PV.88). We would like to express our appreciation to Ambassadors Mohamed Al Hassan and Agustín Santos Maraver, the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain, for their efforts in co-facilitating the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. In recent weeks we have seen the critical importance of the negotiating process, which demanded that the co-facilitators redouble their efforts to achieve the necessary delicate balance in the text of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, taking into consideration the views of all delegations while giving appropriate weight to larger blocs of Member States, such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to which Egypt belongs. This ultimately resulted in the resolution being adopted by consensus, as has been the case since the adoption of resolution 60/288, the original 2006 resolution on the Strategy. The seventh review includes many important updates across all four pillars of the strategy, among them, first, the acknowledgement that terrorism is a hindrance to the enjoyment of political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to life, freedom and security. Secondly, the resolution reiterates the call in the previous review to ensure that terrorism is not linked to any specific religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group, by removing the reference to Islam from the name of the terrorist organization Da’esh. Despite the fact that this was a symbolic measure, we believe it is extremely important, although we see that it came too late. Thirdly, the resolution acknowledges the growing threat of far-right extremist and racist groups that target people based on xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia. It was vital to ensure that the Assembly included that acknowledgement in the resolution, especially given that this is the first review of the Strategy since the brutal Christchurch attack and other similar ones, such as the recent one on a Muslim family in Canada. Fourthly, the resolution emphasizes the fundamental role played by the national institutions of States, including law-enforcement agencies, in the fight against terrorism. That is a common-sense and principled issue required for the success of any counter- terrorism effort. We urge the international community to provide assistance to countries with weak institutions and to contribute to capacity-building in that area. In that regard, Egypt emphasizes that recognizing that correlative relationship does not mean prioritizing security to the detriment of other elements that form part of a comprehensive approach to counter-terrorism, which Egypt has always called for. It is merely the recognition of an obvious precondition for ensuring the success of anti-terrorism measures. Fifthly, the resolution calls on Member States to uphold their responsibilities in the field of counter- terrorism by calling on them to refrain from irresponsible measures that may lead to the spread of terrorism. That includes compelling them to take measures to ensure that their territories are not used to incite the perpetration of terrorist acts in other countries. The resolution also expresses concern about the dangerous problem of the transfer of foreign terrorist fighters between conflict zones, which is a serious threat to international peace and security. Sixthly, the resolution addresses terrorist groups’ misuse of new technologies and innovative means of financing terrorism, as well as the role of the private sector in removing terrorist or inflammatory content from the Internet and social media pages. In that regard, my country expresses its appreciation to the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism for choosing the topic of “Countering and preventing terrorism in the age of transformative technologies” as the theme for the second High-level Conference of Heads of Counter- Terrorism Agencies of Member States. Counter-terrorism is at the core of Egypt’s priorities in maintaining the conditions conducive to its tireless efforts to achieve comprehensive development. My country believes that the main responsibility for countering terrorism lies with Member States and their competent national institutions, in accordance with relevant national legislation and in line with the Strategy’s provisions. In that regard, Egypt takes a comprehensive approach that is not limited solely to the security aspect of addressing terrorism but also includes its economic, social, cultural, educational and ideological aspects, including by tackling terrorist and extremist ideology and counter-narratives, building on my country’s efforts during its membership of the Security Council and as Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2016 and 2017. Egypt has established rigorous national mechanisms for implementing Security Council resolutions on counter-terrorism, such as resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001). We also received an assessment visit by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate in 2017 and continue to implement the recommendations in its report. Egypt is also constantly working to develop its counter-terrorism matrix at the national level, as published in our first national counter-terrorism report in 2020, a second edition of which will be published in 2021. We also strive to ensure full consistency with human rights across all our counter-terrorism measures. Egypt has recently achieved significant success in tackling terrorist financing and money-laundering, particularly through the effective activities carried out under the auspices of our Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Combating Unit. We have also taken a number of measures to strengthen our existing legislative frameworks in order to combat money-laundering and terrorism by establishing lists of terrorist individuals and entities and developing a supervisory approach based on a risk assessment, thereby enhancing our due-diligence procedures and helping to identify the real beneficiaries of terrorist financing by applying proportionate and dissuasive sanctions, while also taking into account relevant human rights considerations. Those measures were welcomed by the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force in its early June report regarding Egypt’s recent self-assessment process. Going forward, Egypt will take many necessary national measures to activate the updates in the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars. We hope that all Member States will take similar measures, particularly with regard to strengthening international cooperation, leading to effective practical solutions for confronting international terrorism and preserving the rights of victims of terrorism.

While we fully align ourselves with the statement delivered by the representative of the European Union in its capacity as observer (see A/75/PV.88), the delegation of Ukraine would like to add the following remarks in its national capacity. At the outset, I would like to join previous speakers in commending the dedicated efforts of the Permanent Representatives of Spain and Oman, as co-facilitators of the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, to produce the best deal possible for reaching consensus on the matter. Ukraine welcomes the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291, on the seventh Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review, which responds to existing and emerging terrorist threats and offers ways to ensure the balanced implementation of Member States’ obligations under all four pillars of the Strategy. At the same time, we regret that despite intensive negotiations, we failed to reach consensus on a number of important elements that were ultimately not included in the document. To date, the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy remains a milestone framework for international efforts in the field of countering terrorism in all its forms, including by tackling its root causes and the conditions conducive to its spread. The seventh review is taking place against a backdrop of evolving trends in international terrorism. While the international community is focused on countering a range of pressing challenges, including the coronavirus disease pandemic, terrorist activity persists, adapting to any reality and still jeopardizing peace and security. It is therefore only through resolute action based on full respect for international law, including international human rights law and refugee law, as well as a whole-of-society approach, that we can effectively confront international terrorism. In resolution 75/291, adopted on 30 June (see A/75/ PV.88), we once again affirmed our respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of all States, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We urge all Member States to fully uphold those fundamental principles and to implement their commitments under the Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We also reaffirmed that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation and wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. In that regard, combating the growing proliferation of State-sponsored terrorism is essential to the success of our global counter-terrorism efforts. I should not fail to mention that this particular issue continues to be extremely important to my country. By now, the whole world has seen the obvious terrorist component in the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine. For more than seven years, Russia has employed a broad range of hybrid warfare techniques to promote the ideology of the so-called Russian world, which implies an exclusive role for the Russian Federation in the internal affairs of a number of sovereign States, including Ukraine. The Russian Federation is violating its obligations under the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism by supplying funds and weapons and providing training to illegal armed groups that also engage in acts of terrorism in Ukraine. Secondly, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and governmental agencies, as well as the manipulation of information, including incitement to terrorism and violent extremism, have become widely used methods of interference in Ukraine’s internal affairs by the Russian Federation. Thirdly, in the temporarily occupied Crimea, the aggressor State is discrediting international efforts to counter terrorism by producing fake accusations of terrorist activities and illegally sentencing innocent people. Russia’s official ideology not only tolerates but encourages violations of international law and the perpetration of the most serious crimes, including terrorist acts. Fierce propaganda and disinformation have been disseminated by the State-controlled Russian media, including by glorifying Russian terrorist fighters as they depart for Ukraine, Syria, Libya or elsewhere and return, rather than by calling for them to be prosecuted. I would like to remind the Assembly that as a result of the investigation of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, international experts determined that the Buk missile system that brought down the civilian plane was transferred to illegal armed groups in the Donetsk region of Ukraine by a Russian anti-aircraft military brigade through an uncontrolled section of the Russia-Ukraine border. Russia, of course, rejects that obvious fact. Those and other vile terrorist acts must be resolutely condemned and punished. It is our task to ensure that all the perpetrators, organizers, managers and sponsors of terrorist activities are brought to justice, wherever they might be, and that full adherence to international law is ensured. That is a global responsibility.

Terrorism remains a serious threat to international peace and security. In a context of international mobilization against the coronavirus disease pandemic, it is essential that States remain united in confronting that threat. Terrorists are highly resourceful and adapt quickly to new situations. They are on the lookout for any vulnerabilities arising from the pandemic that they might be able to exploit, such as the socioeconomic repercussions that could increase the numbers of people susceptible to radicalization and exacerbate the threat posed by terrorist groups. To combat those challenges, including terrorists’ ever-growing use of new technologies, multi-stakeholder cooperation is essential, in particular between the United Nations, its Member States, civil society and the private sector. If our joint efforts are to be effective and sustainable, it is imperative to ensure that they are carried out in full respect for international law and the rule of law. The United Nations and its Member States play a crucial role in preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism. In that regard, Switzerland would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the activities of the United Nations system in the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/75/729) and for organizing the seventh review of the Strategy. Switzerland would also like to express its warm gratitude to Spain and Oman for their efforts and commitment, which made it possible to adopt resolution 75/291 by consensus. At the culmination of these long weeks of negotiations, Switzerland would like to raise the following important points. During the seventh review of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, Switzerland felt it was essential that the achievements of previous reviews be retained in the new version of the Strategy review, particularly in the areas of international humanitarian law, human rights and the prevention of violent extremism. We have advocated a holistic and balanced approach to the implementation of the Strategy’s four pillars, and we want to emphasize the importance of strengthening the first and fourth pillars. We note various improvements to the text in that regard and welcome the strengthened language on gender aspects in certain paragraphs. In that regard, Switzerland will remain committed to strengthening those two pillars and their implementation. Secondly, Switzerland welcomes the strengthened language in certain paragraphs on the role and commitment of civil society in enhancing the implementation of the Strategy, including through interaction with States and the United Nations. We also welcome the encouragement given to States for creating and maintaining an enabling environment for civil society, including through a legal framework that protects and promotes human rights. Thirdly, Switzerland notes the inclusion of a new paragraph that it put forward on strengthening the mechanisms and processes for evaluating the Strategy’s impact. In that regard, we welcome the Secretary- General’s proposal to develop a comprehensive results framework for the work of the United Nations system as a whole. However, Switzerland deeply regrets the weakened language in the final version of that paragraph after the text was reopened. In particular, we regret the lack of clarification on the human-rights based approach and the fourth pillar and the fact that the framework is now restricted to the activities of subsidiary organs of the General Assembly, notably by omitting those of Member States and other United Nations entities. Fourthly, Switzerland welcomes the strengthened language on international humanitarian law in several operational paragraphs. It is essential to ensure that the measures we take to counter terrorism do not undermine our obligations under international humanitarian law. Fifthly, Switzerland welcomes the inclusion of the paragraph we submitted on strengthening international cooperation between prosecution authorities. Cross- border exchanges of information, particularly through INTERPOL, are an essential instrument for ensuring that all States can achieve effective criminal justice measures at the global level. Finally, Switzerland welcomes the negotiations on the creation of a new oversight mandate on the rule of law, human rights and gender. However, we regret that the final paragraph has been significantly weakened by merely requesting the Secretary-General to assess the need to strengthen the integration of those cross- cutting elements. Following an intense period of negotiations, Switzerland continues to believe firmly in the essential role of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in the fight against terrorism. In that regard, we want to point to the important role of the various Global Compact entities, orchestrated by the Office of Counter-Terrorism, in implementing and disseminating the Strategy. My country will continue to strengthen its national efforts and engage in activities in the international arena aimed at preventing violence, including violent extremism, and combating terrorism, while remaining firmly committed to respecting and protecting human rights in those efforts.

I would like to join previous speakers in expressing my appreciation to Ambassadors Mohamed Al Hassan of Oman and Agustín Santos Maraver of Spain for their able leadership in facilitating the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. I would like to begin by paying special tribute to the victims of terrorism, in particular Major General Qasem Soleimani, a prominent figure in the fight against Da’esh in Iraq and Syria, who was assassinated in a terrorist attack perpetrated by United States forces on 3 January 2020 at Baghdad International Airport. While emphasizing the importance of national ownership and leadership in combating terrorism and recognizing the pivotal role of the General Assembly in that process, the Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its unwavering commitment to combating terrorism and rejects all acts and methods of terrorism. We believe that terrorism can be countered only through international cooperation and methods that primarily address its root causes. Still, in most parts of the world, socioeconomic and political problems, illegitimate military presences and foreign military interventions and occupations constitute the main sources of terrorism and violent extremism. However, our long-standing legal position is that any resistance to occupation and foreign intervention in the exercise of self-defence cannot be considered terrorism. In that context, the Palestinian people have every right to resist the occupation of their territory by the Zionist regime. It is also our strong belief that under the pretext of fighting terrorism, no State has the right to commit acts of aggression, interfere in the internal affairs of other States or condone flagrant violations of human rights and humanitarian law, such as torture, kidnapping, illegal detention, disappearance or extrajudicial execution and targeted killing. At the same time, unilateral coercive measures continue to undermine the efforts that countries targeted by such measures make to counter terrorism. Furthermore, given that unilateral coercive measures by their nature target ordinary people, they contribute to the root causes of terrorism. They are also generally imposed in order to incite insurgency and dissatisfaction among ordinary citizens against their Governments and are therefore just as much acts of terrorism. The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly rejects double standards and unlawful unilateral actions on the pretext of combating terrorism. The unilateral listing of Member States or their constitutionally established institutions, which accuses them of supporting terrorism in order to pursue a political agenda, runs counter to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and must therefore be rejected. The presence of foreign terrorist fighters and their families in conflict zones is still a growing source of concern for our entire region. My delegation welcomes the adoption of the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy to address the issue of the transfer of foreign terrorist fighters to and within conflict zones. Unfortunately, as was the case with the previous Strategy review in 2018, the seventh review has failed to address some other fundamental issues related to foreign terrorist fighters, including emerging issues such as repatriation. While there are unanswered questions as to how and why those foreign terrorist fighters, including from countries that claim to be leaders in the area of human rights, have been radicalized and deployed and are committing acts of terrorism in our region, it is also a matter of serious concern that the same countries are refusing to repatriate those foreign terrorist fighters and their families, especially women and children from camps in conflict zones. Since 1979, more than 17,000 of our innocent citizens, including a President, a Prime Minister, a Head of the judiciary, several ministers and members of Parliament, as well as a number of nuclear scientists, have been assassinated by terrorist groups that are being sheltered and provided with safe havens in Europe and North America and with unimpeded access to and connections with Government officials. We wish to recall that the Strategy calls on Member States to deny terrorist groups safe haven, freedom of operations, movement, recruitment or financial, material or political support, and to ensure that terrorists do not find safe haven online. In that context, the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly supports access to justice for victims of terrorism and victims of measures taken under the pretext of combating terrorism, including through drone attacks. As the Strategy recalls, any national efforts to compensate the victims of terrorism should fully respect international law, including the principle of the immunity of States and their property. On the issue of terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the reference in resolution 75/291 to the condemnation of terrorist attacks on energy facilities, including nuclear facilities, that lead to radiological and radioactive environmental disasters. That is in reference to the first terrorist attack of that nature, on 11 April — at the same time that the negotiations were being conducted on the seventh review of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy — on the Natanz fuel enrichment plant, a nuclear facility under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. While acknowledging the importance of efforts to counter the financing of terrorism, we reiterate our principled opposition to any reference to non-United Nations, non-inclusive initiatives that embrace political rather than technical considerations on the financing of terrorism. However, the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to implement the Strategy in accordance with its international obligations as well as relevant internal policies and regulations.

I would like to align my statement with that made on 30 June by the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) (see A/75/ PV.88). I would like to begin by recognizing the commendable work of Mr. Mohamed Al Hassan, Permanent Representative of Oman, and Mr. Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain, as co-facilitators of the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and their teams in ably and successfully guiding and facilitating the process. Their dedicated efforts to achieving consensus enabled the creation of a document that tries to truly tackle the new and evolving challenges that our world is facing today. As a country on the front line in the fight against international terrorism, and as a victim of terrorism, Afghanistan welcomes the determination of the co-facilitators to ensure that our newly adapted Strategy review is a balanced text that leaves no State’s priorities behind and is adapted to the current crisis. That is indispensable in fighting a threat that transcends national borders and affects all of us equally. We cannot claim to be safe unless we vanquish that threat globally. We also want to pay tribute to all Member States and interest groups for their effective contributions to the process. I would like to thank our OIC negotiating coordinator for the efforts to constructively contribute to, represent and share the Group’s priorities and concerns in that important negotiation. The text that we adopted during our previous meeting (resolution 75/291) recognizes the multifaceted and evolving nature of the threat of terrorism and violent extremism, particularly in the face of the current challenges and impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic. We typically review the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy every two years, because the fight against terrorism cannot be static and we must adapt to ensure that our responses and concerted efforts do not fall behind. But with regard to the latest review, I would like to highlight the important emphasis on the collective and genuine implementation of the Strategy. We need to be united in that fight, and that will happen only when we are all on the same page. Counter-terrorism is an emergency and a part of daily life in my country. Our brave national defence and security forces are fighting international terrorist groups. In that fight, we are losing precious lives, including members of our younger generations, university professors, health-care workers, media workers and religious scholars. During the negotiations, my delegation therefore emphasized addressing the root causes and making cohesive efforts to curtail the resources of terrorists in order to ensure that their operational capabilities are reduced. In particular, we must ensure that we work together to tackle the illegal narcotics trade as one of the main sources of financing for terrorist activities. We must also focus on the effects of the trade in dangerous materials and precursors in the production of improvised explosive devices and other explosive ordnance. We also reiterate our recognition of the importance of redoubling efforts to ensure that the rights of victims of terrorism are recognized, protected and promoted. As a strong advocate on that issue, we truly appreciate the support of Member States on the central role that victims should play in all counter-terrorism strategies. Their experiences and stories matter, and we must make sure that we amplify their brave voices in countering those of the extremists who seek to silence them. We must take advantage of that momentum and continue our discussions on ways in which the United Nations can expand its assistance to Member States for their advocacy work for victims of terrorism. Afghanistan and Spain, as co-Chairs of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, will remain focused in leading that important effort. Finally, I would like to highlight the remarkable work of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism in keeping counter-terrorism high on the Organization’s agenda and providing support to Member States in the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. In that regard, while we appreciate the voluntary contributions made by the main donors among Member States, I would like to underline that the resources required for the effective functioning of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism should be provided gradually from the United Nations regular budget. I would like to once again welcome the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291 and to thank all Member States for their constructive engagement, contribution and compromises. What is now most important is the implementation of the Strategy by all Member States, with stronger cooperation and shared responsibility, in order to prevent and counter terrorism and make strides towards building a safer world — one that ensures that no one has to live in fear that a possible attack might take place.

The United Kingdom expresses its gratitude to the co-facilitators, Oman and Spain, for their dedicated and patient stewardship of the seventh review of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. As some of our colleagues have said, strong and coordinated multilateral efforts to prevent and counter terrorism as well as violent extremism are as important as ever. It is just as important to ensure that our efforts to prevent and counter terrorism protect the principles and values that the United Nations is built on and that terrorists seek to tear down. As the guiding document setting out our common and comprehensive approach to those twin challenges, the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy plays a unique role. The seventh review of the Strategy has delivered a resolution (resolution 75/291) that addresses both the challenges of countering terrorism and the impact that counter- terrorism measures can have. Reflecting on the latest Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review, I would like to mention the following points. First, we support the strength of the language on human rights and the guidance on involving civil society in counter-terrorism efforts. Civil-society actors should be partners in the formulation and implementation of counter-terrorism policy and must not become the target of counter-terrorism operations aimed at stifling political opposition. Successful counter-terrorism policies are inclusive of marginalized groups and benefit from the full, equal and meaningful participation of women at all levels. Respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are central both to the prevention of terrorism and the implementation of successful counter-terrorism efforts. A failure to implement the principles of the fourth pillar of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy will undermine the effectiveness of the other three. Secondly, the United Kingdom welcomes the increased coherence and coordination of United Nations action led by the Office of Counter-Terrorism, which is essential to the delivery of the Office’s mandate, including the provision of assistance to States. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of those interventions and establish evidence-based best practices, we support ensuring the continuing improvement of the monitoring and evaluation of programming. Thirdly, resolution 75/291 addresses new threats and new technologies. As a founding supporter of the Christchurch Call to Action to Eliminate Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content Online and a strong supporter of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, the United Kingdom recognizes that we need to build stronger and ever-broader partnerships between Government, industry and civil society in order to meet those challenges. We are pleased to see that reflected in the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review. Finally, with a focus on prevention, the United Kingdom strongly supports ensuring that the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy reflects the Secretary- General’s call for strategic investment in the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism, as well as approaches that address the conditions that give rise to them. There is a risk that the inequalities and grievances exposed and exacerbated by the coronavirus disease pandemic will have negative effects across our societies, including the potential for increased terrorist recruitment. Our approaches to preventing and countering terrorism should therefore build rather than weaken resilience in our societies. That means insisting on the protection and promotion of human rights, ensuring coherence with humanitarian, peacebuilding and development actions, building strong partnerships across societies at the international, regional, national and community levels and integrating gender equality into all our activities. The United Kingdom would like to thank civil society for its involvement and constructive contribution throughout the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review process, from early participation in workshops to engagement with Member States throughout. We look forward to continuing cooperation with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and other Global Compact entities, as well as with the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in countering terrorism. In conclusion, I once again thank Ambassadors Al Hassan and Santos Maraver for executing their important responsibility and reiterate the United Kingdom’s commitment to working with the United Nations and all partners in the Organization’s efforts to prevent and counter terrorism.

At the outset, I would like to join previous speakers in thanking the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain for their tireless work and dedication in facilitating and guiding the negotiations on the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We are also grateful to the President of the General Assembly for his leadership of the process that led to the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291, which is an important one (see A/75/PV.88). Our delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (see A/75/PV.88), and I would like to add some remarks in our national capacity. Azerbaijan is familiar with the scourge of terrorism from first-hand experience. My country has repeatedly been a target of externally directed terrorist attacks used as a method of warfare to achieve political ends. We are determined to continue to take every possible measure deriving from our rights and obligations under the relevant bilateral and multilateral instruments and mechanisms with a view to curbing terrorist activities within our internationally recognized territory and bringing those responsible to justice. Although resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, failed to address a number of challenging issues that are essential to effectively preventing and countering terrorism, we welcome its adoption by consensus, which reflects, first and foremost, the importance of international cooperation, the role of the General Assembly and multilateralism and the need for strengthened action. We recognize that significant efforts have been made by the United Nations and other international, regional and subregional organizations to promote cooperation and coordination and strengthen the capacities of Member States to combat international terrorism and organized crime. However, terrorism and related criminal activities continue to pose a serious threat to international peace and security, the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the sovereignty and territorial integrity and social and economic development of Member States. We are seeing a rise in terrorist activities motivated by intolerance, extremism, violent separatism, hate-fuelled ideas, racist ideology and extensive disinformation campaigns in the media and on social networks. Terrorism is used to advance policies of aggression, occupation and ethnic cleansing against sovereign States, often with the involvement of foreign terrorist fighters. We welcome the reaffirmation in resolution 75/291 of respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of all States, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Terrorists often benefit from transnational organized crime, including the illicit trafficking of arms, persons, drugs and cultural property, the illicit exploitation of and trade in natural resources and the abuse of non-governmental, non-profit and charitable organizations. Known examples include ethnic diaspora organizations engaged in facilitating the recruitment and transfer of terrorists as well as raising funds and collecting other material means to finance terrorist activities against other States. We note the special emphasis in resolution 75/291 on the importance of preventing and opposing such activities. There can be no justification for terrorism and related criminal activities. Equally, instances of the shielding and glorification of terrorists cannot be tolerated. We welcome the inclusion in the resolution of Azerbaijan’s proposed language on rejecting attempts to justify or glorify terrorism that may incite further terrorist acts or violent action. It is critical to ensure that Member States undertake consistent measures to prevent their territories from being used for terrorist or related criminal activities, especially terrorist installations, training camps, safe havens for the preparation of terrorist acts against other States, the financing of terrorism or the direct or indirect provision of any support for such activities under any pretext or disguise. Member States are also under an obligation to suppress the mobilization of foreign terrorist fighters, strengthen border security, prosecute travel or attempted travel for terrorist purposes and address the evolving linkages between terrorism and organized crime. We concur with the Secretary-General that deterring, disrupting and foiling terrorist attacks and bringing suspected terrorism offenders to justice should remain a priority in our activities, in accordance with international law. Terrorist acts committed in the context of armed conflict may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, which imply individual criminal responsibility and entitle States to take measures at the national level in order to assert criminal jurisdiction over crimes committed by their nationals overseas, as well as international cooperation in criminal matters with mutual legal assistance as its essential component. It is also important that corporate liability and criminal responsibility function in tandem to ensure prosecution for violations of international law. We firmly believe that no amnesty or any other form of early release should be granted to the perpetrators of terrorist acts. Last but not least, as many of our colleagues have said, the war on terrorism cannot and must not be used to target any individual religion or culture. That principle must be part and parcel of any counter- terrorism strategy. We note a particular emphasis on that in resolution 75/291. We look forward to the effective implementation of the resolution on the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy as a matter of priority, in good faith and through genuine international cooperation, partnership and solidarity.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the co-facilitators, Ambassadors Mohamed Al Hassan, Permanent Representative of Oman, and Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain, and their dedicated teams for the hard work they have invested in steering the review process and drafting resolution 75/291. The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy was adopted by consensus 15 years ago (resolution 60/288) and was a major step forward in maintaining and achieving international peace and security. The international community acknowledged that the threat of terrorism is grave and universal and can be defeated only through the collective efforts of all the States Members of the United Nations, without exception. It was agreed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations should be condemned. There can be no exception or justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of the motivations behind such acts and wherever, whenever and by whomever they are committed. It was also recognized that the menace of terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group. However, it is essential not only that Member States do not squander the gains we have achieved so far but also that they ensure that we do not allow the slightest opportunity to provide excuses or justification for terrorism, which would diminish our collective fight. Justifying terrorism in any way, whether on the grounds of religion, ideology, ethnicity or race, would only provide terrorists with the fodder they need to further enhance their activities. Let us not forget that before 9/11, the world was divided into “your terrorists” and “my terrorists”. It was only after 9/11 that we accepted that terrorism in one part of the world can have a direct impact on another part of the world, and we all came together to fight terrorism collectively. Twenty years later, we are now seeing attempts to divide us once again through the adoption of new terminologies under the guise of emerging threats, such as racially and ethnically motivated violent extremism, violent nationalism and right-wing extremism and so forth. I hope that Member States do not forget history and once again divide terrorism into different categories, which would take us back to the era of “your terrorists” and “my terrorists” and erase the gains we have made over the past two decades. Today the misuse for terrorist purposes of the Internet and social media for terrorist propaganda and the radicalization and recruitment of cadres; of new payment methods for the financing of terrorism, such as blockchain currencies, payment wallets and crowd- funding platforms; and of emerging technologies, such as drones, 3D printing, artificial intelligence and robotics, has emerged as terrorism’s most serious threat and warrants collaborative actions from all Member States. While resolution 75/291 does mention the matter of religious phobias, we feel once again compelled to point out that the listing has been selective and is confined to the three Abrahamic religions. This body has once again failed to acknowledge the rise of hatred and violent terrorist attacks on other religions, such as Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism. We should also distinguish between countries that are pluralistic and those that resort to sectarian violence and trample on minority rights. The United Nations is not a body or forum in which Member States should take sides on religious phobias, and it should instead truly foster a culture based on the universal principles of humanity and compassion so that terrorists’ narratives are tackled collectively. The continuing absence of a universally agreed definition of terrorism is detrimental to our shared goal of eliminating it. The latest Strategy review fails to resolve that stalemate, preventing the adoption of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which India has championed. Before I conclude, I would like to submit that the success of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy depends entirely on whether Member States walk the talk by sincerely implementing the Strategy’s provisions and fulfilling the obligations it envisages. As a victim of cross-border terrorism for several decades, my country has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and one of terrorism’s major victims. However, it is time to call out those who blatantly violate global commitments by harbouring terrorists and terrorist entities, including those proscribed by the United Nations, by wilfully giving moral, material, financial and ideological support to such groups in order to foment terrorism and disrupt social harmony and peace. The international community should adopt a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, and our collective condemnation of it should be loud, clear and unambiguous.

At the outset, I would like to join my colleagues in expressing our gratitude to the Permanent Representatives of Spain and Oman for their leadership in co-facilitating the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We welcome the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291 (see A/75/PV.88). Countering terrorism is one of the priority areas for Kyrgyzstan in ensuring national security. In that regard, Kyrgyzstan firmly supports the effective implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is a unique global document aimed at strengthening national, regional and international efforts to combat terrorism. At the same time, we note the need to take practical steps, including by enhancing States’ potential for tackling terrorist threats. Kyrgyzstan has taken active measures to implement the activities for Central Asian States, in close cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Office and the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. That was within the framework of the third phase of implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia, and we will continue to cooperate on the implementation of the fourth phase, which started in June. Kyrgyzstan actively supports all measures taken by the international community in the fight against international terrorism and extremism. In particular, we cooperate closely with the anti-terrorist structures of the United Nations, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Centre for Internet Security, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European Union. We also participate in the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism. In countering terrorism, Kyrgyzstan proceeds from the belief that the fight against it should be waged under the auspices of the United Nations. Any measures taken in response to that threat must comply with the requirements of international law and the norms of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In that regard, Kyrgyzstan strictly complies with the requirements of the relevant Security Council resolutions. We are interested in active cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the Security Council. Kyrgyzstan welcomes the decision of the Office of Counter-Terrorism to deploy programme coordinator staff to our country. We want to emphasize that the High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States, which finished its work last week, represents one of the practical steps for establishing new partnerships for international cooperation in order to counter terrorism. We are confident that its successful outcome will make it possible to initiate large-scale practical interaction between Member States in the fight against terrorism. In March, the Government of Kyrgyzstan, with the support of the United Nations, launched Meerim, a humanitarian mission involving 79 children of Kyrgyz citizens repatriated from Iraq. The plan for the mission envisages many activities aimed at the children’s speedy rehabilitation, reintegration and return to a safe and peaceful life. Terrorism continues to pose a severe and immediate threat in many regions and countries. The containment, suppression and prevention of terrorist attacks and the prosecution of terrorism suspects should remain priorities during and after the coronavirus disease pandemic. That is in accordance with international law, international counter-terrorism legal instruments, the relevant Security Council resolutions and the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Kyrgyzstan is ready to engage in closer cooperation both bilaterally and within the framework of regional and international organizations, which will enable us to implement specific and necessary tasks for the benefit of the development and prosperity of our countries.

This is a symbolic year in the fight against terrorism. It marks the twentieth anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11, the fifteenth anniversary of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the tenth anniversary of the Global Counterterrorism Forum. Morocco welcomes the fact that the seventh biennial review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy culminated in the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291. The resolution renews the common will of the States Members of the United Nations to act collectively to counter the scourge of terrorism, and we thank the co-facilitators for their commitment throughout the process. The long months of intense negotiations only barely achieved a fragile consensus on the resolution, and the final text was the product of major concessions and flexibility on the part of delegations. Following its seventh review and based on its four pillars, the Strategy has taken stock of the global fight against terrorism and its emerging challenges. While retaining the important achievements of previous reviews, it reflects the evolution of the terrorist threat and the measures we need to take to ensure that our collective response is adequate. The use of the Internet to disseminate extremist and terrorist content has brought new challenges. Information and communications technologies have dramatically increased terrorist groups’ capabilities and reach, enabling them to strengthen their links with criminal organizations, spread propaganda and recruit more followers, in a situation that has also been further exacerbated by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We welcome the focus on those challenges in the latest review of the Strategy. We also welcome the strengthened language inviting Member States to adopt special strategies to deal with those who have been imprisoned for terrorist acts and to facilitate their rehabilitation and reintegration. Prevention remains an essential pillar without which our fight against terrorism cannot succeed. If we are to anticipate terrorist threats we must prevent radicalization and invest in ensuring that our social fabric is resilient. As the Strategy review indicates, a multidimensional approach that draws on concerted cooperation should help us tackle the root causes of terrorism. However, those efforts cannot succeed if we do not invest in sustainable socioeconomic development, strengthen good governance and the rule of law and provide improved access to education and basic infrastructure. With regard to the budget of the Office of Counter-Terrorism, although resolution 75/291 brings us closer to a more predictable and sustainable source of funding, the associated provisions in that area still fall short of our expectations. Faced with a constantly evolving terrorist threat, we need an international, united and lasting commitment as well as genuine cooperation in order to ensure that the international community has the means to adapt to it. Africa has become a theatre for unprecedented terrorist attacks, including in West Africa, the Sahel and Mozambique. The Sahel-Sahara strip in particular is suffering from this new and growing threat in an area where the presence of armed groups and terrorists has taken hold and is imposing an additional burden that States in the region must now confront. Morocco welcomes the Office of Counter- Terrorism’s commitment to ramping up its efforts and presence on the African continent. We are pleased with its dedication of its role and efforts, especially its opening of programme offices in Morocco and Kenya, in order to facilitate the implementation of programmes from locations close to those who should benefit from them, with a view to strengthening their impact and improving their cost-benefit ratio. On 24 June in Rabat, the Office of Counter-Terrorism inaugurated the Programme Office for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Africa. The Office will work to develop and implement targeted programmes for African countries that wish to be involved, with a specific focus on capacity-building and skills development in the area of counter-terrorism, particularly the aspects of security, investigations and prosecutions, prison and border management and rehabilitation and reintegration. The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated inequalities and exacerbated isolation, providing terrorists with new methods for radicalization leading to violence. Hate speech, xenophobia, racism and intolerance are on the rise, both online and offline. Extreme ideologies are also on the rise. In the face of those threats, we must step up our efforts to ensure that our children are influenced by positive narratives that convey messages of peace, tolerance and coexistence. The role and work of religious leaders is essential in order to instil their communities with the values of dialogue, understanding and respect for religious and cultural diversity. Finally, we hope that Member States and stakeholders in the fight against terrorism will implement the road map we have adopted and be inspired to develop their own national strategies. Before concluding, we would like to commend Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and his team at the Office of Counter-Terrorism as well as Ms. Michèle Coninsx and the Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate team for their dedication and tireless efforts towards the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the assistance they provide to Member States to that end.

At the outset, I would like to thank the co-facilitators, the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain, for steering the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. I congratulate them on their successful leadership of the process in an open and transparent manner. We welcome the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It shows that we are all together in our fight against the menace of terrorism. My delegation thanks the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report on the progress of the Strategy’s implementation (A/75/729). While the coronavirus disease pandemic rages on through a number of variants, it has provided a disguise for fertile ground for organized crime and terrorism. Terrorist groups have been exploiting the situation in order to promote anti-State narratives for their ulterior motives. Unlike the virus, terrorism emanates not from a contagion but from the human psyche. Narratives of anti-immigrant sentiments, racial hatred and religious intolerance are used by terrorist groups to stoke social dissension and disrupt harmony. In recent years we have witnessed a changing paradigm in terrorism and violent extremism. Threats continue to increase owing to the abuse of information and communications technologies, social media, artificial intelligence, unarmed aerial vehicles and genetic engineering, among other things. Unfortunately, those challenges add to our pre-existing woes, with peace and stability remaining an unfulfilled aspiration in many parts of the world. Challenges such as arms races, climate change and disasters further impede the prospects for peace and sustainable development. That demands a concerted and coordinated response based on effective multilateralism. The global community should unite in a spirit of solidarity to fight international problems such as terrorism, organized crime, illicit financial flows and human and drug trafficking. The United Nations must be at the centre of our efforts. The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is an important instrument in strengthening cooperation among the United Nations membership at the regional and international levels, and we must ensure the balanced implementation of all four pillars of the Strategy. Nepal strongly condemns acts of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, whoever they are committed by and whatever their purpose. We have been taking the greatest possible care to prevent anyone using our land against any other country. With a strong institutional and legal counter-terrorism framework at home, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and violent extremism. We are party to seven different international counter-terrorism instruments and have been effectively implementing their obligations. We support the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and have been earnestly incorporating and streamlining it into our national policies and implementation framework. We emphasize the importance of providing financial and technological assistance to developing countries in order to bolster their capacities. That is also crucial to the realization of the capacity-building pillar of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. As agreed in the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review resolution, we need to deepen our cooperation through exchanges of intelligence, data and admissible evidence in order to bring perpetrators to justice. In that regard, Nepal appreciated the convening last month of the second High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism. We believe that only open and resilient societies that uphold the values of inclusion, equality, social justice and the rule of law can function as the front line of defence against extremism and radicalization. It is therefore essential to invest in education and economic opportunities for people and promote full respect for human rights, gender equality and diversity. At the same time, we cannot afford any loopholes with regard to vigilance and detection or analysis of suspected terrorist activities. We have come a long way since the adoption of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006. However, more innovative efforts are needed to ensure that the underlying root causes and conditions fuelling terrorism are addressed effectively. In conclusion, we must chart our course keeping in mind the cost of conflict and extremism and the benefit of cooperation. The best time to enhance multilateral cooperation in order to crack down on the nexus of terrorism may have been years ago, but the second-best time is now. Nepal stands ready to continue engaging constructively with the international community in tackling the threats of terrorism and violent extremism for the cause of peace, development and stability.

At the outset, El Salvador would like to express its sincere appreciation to the Permanent Representatives of Spain and Oman for their valuable efforts in this important process. We also thank Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov for his support throughout. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars undoubtedly constitute one of the General Assembly’s most significant initiatives, given that among other things it strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomever committed and regardless of motive or purpose. The consultation process for the Strategy review was very complex, owing to the multiple facets that must be addressed in tackling the scourge of terrorism. We therefore thank the delegations that demonstrated a spirit of commitment to reaching a consensus. In particular, we thank our sister Republics of Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and Peru for their invaluable support during the negotiations. El Salvador remains gravely concerned about the links that exist in certain cases between some forms of transnational organized crime and terrorism. We therefore reaffirm the need to improve cooperation at the national, subregional, regional and international levels in order to combat this scourge. According to our national legislation and jurisprudence, terrorism is closely intertwined with transnational organized crime, including criminal gangs, when its perpetrators seek to take over the sovereign powers of the State, systematically and indiscriminately terrorizing, attacking and seriously jeopardizing the people’s fundamental human rights. In that regard, one of the firm commitments of the Government of El Salvador has been to implementing our territorial control plan, a strategy aimed at restoring and guaranteeing the safety of the Salvadoran population by recovering public spaces from the clutches of organized criminal groups, as well as generating opportunities through the social prevention of crime and the reconstruction of our social fabric. In implementing the plan, our national civil police has made a concerted effort to serve and protect the population by systematizing operational initiatives to tackle crime, which has led to an historic reduction in the number of crimes committed, including a decline in the crime rate per 100,000 inhabitants and a decrease in the average daily homicide rate. The Strategy and its four pillars remain crucial to strengthening the response of Member States in their fight against terrorism, which is a constantly evolving challenge and one that also affects peacekeeping operations. For that reason, El Salvador welcomes the strengthened language in the Strategy review, which emphasizes the importance of mitigating the threat of improvised explosive devices through relevant training and capacity-building activities for United Nations peacekeeping personnel. El Salvador notes with grave concern the serious risk posed by terrorist acts perpetrated around the world, including those committed through the misuse of information and communications technologies. They constitute a threat not only to the maintenance of international peace and security but also to sustainable development, democracy, the rule of law and respect for international humanitarian law, human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all peoples. My delegation therefore reiterates that it is ready and willing to continue to discuss proposals during the eighth review of the Strategy, such as that submitted by Brazil on the need for strengthened language and for establishing a convention on international terrorism, which would help to harmonize the legal framework on the fight against terrorism. In conclusion, we would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the fight against terrorism and our unwavering willingness to follow up on this important process. We also want to highlight the importance of keeping the Strategy updated so that it remains valid and is able to respond to any new threats that may emerge as well as currently evolving trends in international terrorism.

We would like to begin by joining previous speakers in expressing our support for resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, and for the consensus reached that has enabled us to send an unequivocal message about the unity of the international community in its fight against terrorism. In joining the consensus on this document, which should be our common road map in collaborating against the international scourge of terrorism, we renew our commitment to the four pillars of the Strategy. We would also like to convey our appreciation to the co-facilitators of the review process, the Ambassadors of Spain and Oman, for their tireless work over the past five months of arduous negotiations, and to their respective teams, the Secretariat and all who have contributed in one way or another to achieving this well-balanced document, which demands that we continue to hone and develop our collective efforts in order to counter that international scourge, while always safeguarding international humanitarian law and the human rights of individuals and ensuring the comprehensive security of our societies. We are grateful to the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and all of the Office’s personnel, who worked tirelessly to organize the second United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week and the High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States, which ended on Wednesday and enabled us to engage in a rich exchange of experiences and best practices, bringing together our different perspectives on the challenges posed by the misuse of transformative technologies for malicious purposes in order to explore alternative ways of cooperating in the fight against terrorism. We would also like to acknowledge the cooperative countries that staunchly support the functioning of those initiatives by providing human, material and financial resources. Terrorist acts have a dramatic impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Terrorism is fostered by creating a widespread sense of fear, anguish and insecurity that causes its countless victims around the world severe physical and psychological trauma. Paraguay stands in solidarity with the victims of terrorism, especially children and other vulnerable groups, and our Government also endorses the calls for more effective measures to tackle the adverse consequences of terrorist organizations’ actions for peace, security and the world economy. As a party to the main international instruments on this issue, Paraguay acknowledges that the prevention and combating of terrorism are fundamental elements in its global integration strategy through its security plans, while also working towards the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In that regard, Paraguay continues to work to improve its legal and institutional framework to counter terrorism and protect human rights. After ratifying laws on terrorism in 2010, we now have a national strategic plan for combating terrorism and terrorism financing as a State policy. Paraguay designated several organizations as terrorist groups in 2019, thereby demonstrating its commitment to preventing them from planning attacks or accessing sources of financing from Paraguayan territory, thanks to changes we introduced into our regulatory and financial frameworks. We have also implemented a new import system that includes mechanisms for the prior declaration of information and for the transfer of funds as payment for merchandise. We have also created specialized courts for trying organized crime and counter-terrorism cases. Countering and preventing the transnational scourge of terrorism is a joint task, and international cooperation is therefore crucial to combating it. This is an issue that was widely discussed during our recent work. In that regard, we would like to once again thank our partners for their cooperation in countering terrorism, which has enabled us to implement better border control and protection systems. In particular, and as an example of cooperation at the regional level, we would like to highlight the creation of an anti-terrorist coordination group that we have formed together with Argentina, Brazil and the United States to carry out stricter monitoring and prevent the commission of transnational crimes in our tri-border area. That cooperation has enabled us to carry out operations that have led to arrests of criminals and the dismantling of drug-trafficking and money-laundering networks. In conclusion, while once again condemning all acts of terrorism in their various manifestations, the Government of the Republic of Paraguay reaffirms its unwavering commitment to countering terrorism in all its forms and to continuing to support the efforts of multilateral and regional organizations, especially those aimed at strengthening cooperation and implementing effective response mechanisms that inspire confidence among the entire international community.

My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (see A/75/PV.88). We would like to thank the co-facilitators of the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain, Ambassadors Mohamed Al Hassan and Agustín Santos Maraver, for leading this extremely important process. Pakistan has been at the forefront of the international fight against terrorism and has made innumerable sacrifices in that regard. For more than a decade, Pakistan has endured intense suffering due to terrorism  — including terrorism supported and sponsored from abroad — with thousands of casualties among both civilian and security personnel. The most recent manifestation of that externally supported and financed terrorism came in the form of a heinous terrorist attack in Lahore on 23 June. Those responsible for organizing, financing and supporting such attacks and the many more before it must be held accountable by the international community. Pakistan welcomes the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291, entitled “The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: seventh review”. We hope that its adoption will help to further strengthen international cooperation in preventing and combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to implement all four pillars of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy in a balanced manner. My statement today serves as Pakistan’s explanation of position on certain paragraphs in the resolution, in addition to providing my delegation’s contribution to the general debate in the context of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. One of the most important purposes of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review is to keep the Strategy relevant and contemporary in the light of the new emerging threats and evolving trends in international terrorism. One of the most concerning of these is manifest in terrorist attacks based on racism, xenophobia, intolerance, Islamophobia and other forms of intolerance by violent nationalist, supremacist, far- right and other groups and ideologies. The coronavirus disease pandemic has unfortunately exacerbated that threat, with terrorist groups capitalizing on the pandemic to spread hatred and conspiracy theories, including through the Internet and social media platforms. In that regard, the Strategy review rightly recognizes with deep concern the overall rise in instances of discrimination, intolerance and violence directed at members of religious and other communities in various parts of the world, including cases motivated by Islamophobia and other prejudices. The Strategy review calls on Member States to take appropriate measures to address the new and emerging threats posed by the rise in terrorist attacks on the basis of xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief, in order to counter the direct and indirect forms of religious and racial discrimination and incitement to hostility, hatred and violence propagated by terrorist groups. It also requests that the Secretary-General develop a greater understanding of the motivations, objectives, organization and threats posed by such groups within the global terrorism landscape, including new and emerging threats, and report on them in advance of the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly. We hope that the upcoming report of the Secretary-General will present a comprehensive overview of emerging threats in that regard. In order to address the root causes of terrorism, it is imperative for the international community, and the Security Council in particular, to address situations of prolonged unresolved conflict, foreign occupation and the denial of the right to self-determination. History testifies to the undeniable reality that the suppression of a people’s right to self-determination inevitably perpetuates violence and conflict. Aggressors, colonizers and occupiers often attempt to justify their suppression of legitimate struggles for self-determination and freedom by portraying them as terrorism. We therefore welcome the fact that resolution 75/291 reaffirms the commitment of the international community to taking measures to resolve prolonged conflicts and end foreign occupation in order to address the conditions conducive to the spread of international terrorism. Pakistan will continue to call for necessary changes in the global counter-terrorism architecture and the Security Council’s sanctions regime in order to end the stigmatization of followers of certain religions and to broaden the scope of such measures against new and emerging threats, including on the basis of racism, xenophobia, intolerance, Islamophobia and other forms of intolerance. At the same time, we reiterate our call for enhancing the transparency of the Security Council sanctions regime and addressing the deficiencies in the global counter-terrorism architecture and norm- building, particularly resulting from the regulatory landscape being developed under the umbrella of the Security Council through the adoption of resolutions under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. A number of opaque and non-inclusive processes lacking global membership are also increasingly being consolidated within the counter-terrorism architecture through the development of soft-law standards and practices. In that regard, Pakistan welcomes the work of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. We also acknowledge the contribution of the Office of the Ombudsperson to the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, with a view to enhancing the transparency of the sanctions imposed by the Security Council, and we call for further strengthening that Office. Throughout the negotiations, Pakistan maintained its principled position that all activities of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) should be funded through the regular United Nations budget and that the General Assembly should give full autonomy and a central role to the Office in order to implement its mandate. We hope that resolution 75/291 will help us take the necessary steps in that regard. With regard to its preambular paragraph 16 and operative paragraph 12, Pakistan would like to put it on record that those paragraphs can neither be interpreted to give an implicit mandate to the UNOCT to expand its field presence or to modify or expand the role or mandate of the United Nations country teams, including that of the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office. The principle of host country consent for any United Nations field presence, including that of the UNOCT, is inviolable and must always be upheld. Any United Nations field presence must also operate in line with its respective mandates and in cooperation with the respective host country. In conclusion, I would like to assure the Assembly of Pakistan’s continuing and unwavering support for strengthening international cooperation in order to prevent and combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and for implementing all four pillars of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in a balanced manner.

At the outset, allow me to express my appreciation to the co-facilitators, Ambassadors Mohamed Al Hassan of Oman and Agustín Santos Maraver of Spain, and their teams for their efforts throughout the process. My appreciation also goes to all delegations for their hard work and engagement during the negotiations. Indonesia aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Turkey, on behalf of the MIKTA countries — Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia (see A/75/PV.88). In spite of the dynamics of the negotiation process, Indonesia would like to join others in welcoming the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It reflects our common will and determination to prevent and counter our common enemy. We echo the OIC’s suggestion about protecting the notion of multilateralism and preserving the consensus character of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in future reviews. Since the previous review, even though the impact of terrorism has shown signs of improvement, violent extremism conducive to that menace continues to present challenges in different forms and manifestations. Some of those challenges have been amplified by the dynamic of the coronavirus disease pandemic. That said, I would like to underscore some pertinent points. First, in order to keep pace with the dynamic and evolving global threat of terrorism, we have no option but to ensure flexible, innovative and adaptive international cooperation, which must be coordinated and coherent. Secondly, we believe that the delicate compromise achieved by Member States in the seventh review, especially on strategies related to the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the United Nations Global Compact entities, serves as a foundation not only for future synergies but also for coordination and coherent enhancement within United Nations counter-terrorism-related bodies. At the same time, we hope that the Strategy will also address the issue of duplication, so that the United Nations can continue to play its instrumental role in preventing and countering terrorism by effectively delivering and facilitating capacity-building assistance to Member States, as and when requested. Thirdly and finally, my delegation is pleased to note that the seventh review reflects some new elements as compared to the previous review. They include references to new and emerging threats, the misuse of new technologies, enhancing the human rights approach in countering terrorism and the challenge of recidivism and radicalization and terrorist recruitment in prison settings. In order to optimize our achievements, Indonesia believes that in our common efforts to prevent and counter terrorism we must orchestrate the different but complementary capacities of relevant stakeholders, civil-society organizations, the media, religious leaders, women, young people, victims of terrorist attacks and private-sector organizations. That said, Indonesia will continue to reiterate the importance of developing a comprehensive prevention plan and counter-terrorism response based on the balanced implementation of the Strategy’s four pillars. For its part, Indonesia will continue to strive to implement the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy through cooperation on various initiatives and activities at the global, regional, subregional and national levels.

At the outset, I would like to thank the delegations of Spain and Oman for leading the negotiations on the omnibus draft resolution on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The Strategy contributes to defining the mandates of the various United Nations entities on this issue and establishes the general principles that should govern their work, which is why it is considered the cornerstone of the counter- terrorism efforts at the United Nations. Guatemala underscores the potential danger of the link between transnational organized crime and terrorism, which promotes the illicit use of financial assets for pernicious purposes. For that reason, my country firmly believes that the existing international legal framework for preventing such links represents a valuable tool for all States, and we therefore reiterate our unwavering support for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, as well as the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Owing to its geographical position, the Central American region, and my country in particular, has been besieged by transnational networks that foment crime in all its forms, especially drug trafficking, the laundering of money and other assets, contract killings, trafficking in persons and the indiscriminate and illegal use and trafficking of firearms. Despite great efforts, my country continues to be victimized by international networks that overwhelm our capacities, as they not only possess high-calibre firearms and other ordnance but also inexhaustible financial clout, all of which adds to their criminal activity. We are therefore very concerned about terrorists’ ability to benefit from transnational organized crime, and we emphasize the need to improve cooperation at the national, subregional, regional and international levels in order to strengthen our responses to that challenge. We welcome the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is the main positive result of the process, and we are pleased that several new paragraphs were included in the review, demonstrating the interest of the United Nations membership in updating the Strategy. In conclusion, the adoption of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, guarantees the continuity of practical measures aimed at strengthening States’ capacities to counter terrorist threats.

My delegation welcomes the convening of this plenary meeting following the adoption of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (see A/75/PV.88). We welcome the resolution’s adoption by consensus, despite the major differences of views during the negotiations. My delegation would like to thank the Permanent Representatives of Spain and Oman for their outstanding work in facilitating the negotiations and Member States for the flexibility they showed. The seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy gives us an opportunity to take stock of the implementation of our joint action to counter the scourge of terrorism. Despite the progress that has been made in that area, we are still far from achieving our goal of eradicating it, as the recurrence of terrorist attacks around the world has shown. Côte d’Ivoire, like other countries in the West African subregion, continues to pay a heavy price as a result of indiscriminate violence, the latest tragic examples of which were the terrorist attacks on 7 and 12 June in Tougbo and Tehini, in the north of the country, in which four Ivorian soldiers were killed. Along with many others, those attacks attest to terrorism’s persistence and its ever-changing forms and manifestations. They also validate, more than ever before, the importance of a Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy designed to evolve, and they fully justify the work of redefining our priorities during the seventh review. We believe that prevention should be at the heart of our priorities, not only by strengthening measures aimed at eliminating the root causes of terrorism but also by combating violent extremism that is frequently motivated by racial, ethnic or ideological considerations. In recognition of that imperative, Côte d’Ivoire established a policy more than a decade ago to promote inclusion and social cohesion and undertook actions to prevent radicalization through awareness- raising campaigns aimed at fostering a culture of peace and tolerance. In 2018, the Ivorian Government also launched an initiative known as the Teaching Kit, which is a tool for preventing violent extremism and promoting peaceful religious practices. Because terrorism is a transborder phenomenon, Côte d’Ivoire calls for revitalized international cooperation with regard to technical assistance and capacity-building for Member States. Those two types of cooperation have enabled my country to strengthen its capacities, particularly in the area of legislation, as well as in law enforcement, intelligence and border control. Côte d’Ivoire, which is a party to all 19 universal legal instruments on counter-terrorism, enacted a new law on the suppression of terrorism in 2018 that criminalizes the financing of terrorist organizations and individuals. We are also collaborating with six other countries on matters of information-sharing and intelligence and conducting joint cross-border military operations within the framework of the Accra initiative, which was launched in 2017 and aims to prevent violent extremism and transnational crime. On 3 June my country signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism as part of the implementation of the Countering Terrorist Travel Programme, which seeks to prevent and detect terrorist offences and other serious crimes using advance passenger information and passenger name records. Finally, we would like to highlight the official inauguration on 10 June of an Ivorian-French project in the form of an international counter-terrorism academy based in Jacqueville. The academy aims to contribute to creating a community and culture of counter-terrorism in Africa in the long term. We are seriously concerned about terrorists’ increasing use of information and communications technologies for propaganda and recruitment purposes, as well as the growth in cybercrime and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, and therefore call for urgent action in order to regulate and purge the use of those technologies. We also believe that it is important to ensure respect for human rights and promote the rule of law, both key pillars underpinning our counter- terrorism efforts, while also ensuring that our counter- terrorism policies and practices are in line with the norms and requirements of international law, which is key to the successful implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my country’s commitment to combating terrorism and our firm willingness to fully implement the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

Singapore welcomes the adoption of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (see A/75/PV.88), and we thank the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain for their work as co-facilitators of the resolution. Terrorism remains one of the foremost threats to global peace and security and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. No country is immune to it, and no country can address it alone. The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy continues to play an important role in enhancing national, regional and international efforts to counter terrorism, and its regular reviews are crucial to ensuring that the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy remains relevant and attuned to the priorities of Member States. I would like to make three brief points about the resolution we have just adopted. First, Singapore is pleased that the resolution on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy was adopted by consensus. In our view, it is critical to ensure that the United Nations sends a strong and united message against the global threat of terrorism. Secondly, we welcome the new language in the resolution on the need to address the issues of radicalization and recruitment for terrorist purposes in prisons. Radicalization and recruitment in prisons is a serious issue for many countries that requires greater and more effective international cooperation. Thirdly, we reaffirm the need for the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and Member States’ principal responsibility for that implementation. Even in the midst of tackling the unprecedented coronavirus disease pandemic, Singapore has continued to take steps to address terrorism in a manner that is in line with the four pillars of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. Despite the constraints posed by the pandemic, we have continued to hold programmes and undertake activities to address conditions conducive to terrorism, as well as to prevent and combat terrorism and build capacities in that respect, while ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law. Earlier this year we also amended our payment services legislation to bring it into line with the enhanced Financial Action Task Force standards for virtual asset service providers and to better mitigate money-laundering and terrorism financing risks. Singapore maintains the view that international cooperation and intelligence-sharing are key to preventing and deterring terror attacks. We continue to participate actively in bilateral, regional and international counter-terrorism meetings and cooperation efforts. This year our Ministry of Defence established a multilateral counter-terrorism information facility to bring together like-minded countries in order to share intelligence and provide early warning, monitoring and analysis capabilities in a centralized and coordinated manner. In conclusion, we remain strongly committed to the global fight against terrorism.

I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this debate. Malaysia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) (see A/75/ PV.88). Malaysia welcomed the adoption by consensus of resolution 75/291 on 30 June (see A/75/PV.88). We thank the co-facilitators, the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain, for their efforts in steering the review and all delegations for their contributions to the process. We also want to express our appreciation to the Secretary-General for his report on this agenda item (A/75/729). Fifteen years after the Strategy was first adopted by the General Assembly, on 8 September 2006 (see A/60/PV.99), my delegation is pleased to note that its spirit of consensus has been maintained. It has certainly not been easy. The seventh review was delayed by a year owing to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Every line and word in the final text was carefully crafted and scrutinized. Compromises were made. While no delegation in this Hall got everything it wanted, it is important that Member States’ voices were heard. That rigorous exercise was necessary in order to ensure that the Strategy remains a living document that can respond to a changing global terrorism landscape, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The review is also important for ensuring that the Strategy can guide our united and concerted action on the ground in order to address the scourge of terrorism through a balanced implementation of all four pillars. We were therefore pleased to see that among the updates in resolution 75/291 is the long-overdue omission of the term “Islamic” from the name of one terrorist organization. Malaysia underscores that Islam is not a threat to world peace and security but rather that this threat comes from terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism. Attributing terrorism to a particular religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group is a misguided effort, as no religion propagates terrorism and no nationality, civilization or ethnic group is predisposed to it. As Da’esh is neither Islamic nor a State, Malaysia joins the OIC’s call for all Member States and United Nations entities to mainstream the name Da’esh when referring to that terrorist organization. The resolution also recognizes the worrying overall rise in instances of discrimination, intolerance and violence directed against members of religious and other communities in various parts of the world, including cases motivated by Islamophobia. Terrorist groups are also exploiting the current health crisis for their nefarious ends, including by using the virus and Government responses to it in order to feed the conspiracy theories and narratives that they rely on to attract followers. If left unchecked, the increasing levels of intolerance surrounding race and ethnicity will ultimately break communities. As a multi-religious country where different faiths coexist and prosper, Malaysia stands ready to share its experience in marginalizing extremism and maintaining a harmonious, pluralistic society. My delegation would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Secretary-General and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism for the successful organization of the recently concluded second United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week, including the second United Nations High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States. We appreciated the enriching engagements and discussions that took place throughout the week, including the examination of the impact of the new and emerging technologies on counter-terrorism. We look forward to the convening in December of the first United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism. Malaysia continues to reiterate the importance of winning hearts and minds in the psychological war against terrorism. The Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism continues to engage with youth through counter-messaging initiatives such as “Building effective stories through narratives by youth to enhance resilience”, and speaks to them about the dangers of radicalization and about creating mental firewalls to block radical ideologies from penetrating their psyches. We also recognize that a gender-sensitive analysis of the drivers of terrorism is integral to our efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism. Malaysia’s “Gendered approach towards outreach on radicalization” programme, led by the Regional Centre, seeks to identify gender-sensitive strategies in the country and leverage the participation of women and women’s organizations in our measures to prevent and counter violent extremism. Those initiatives demonstrate Malaysia’s commitment to a whole-of- society approach in combating the scourge of terrorism. Even as the world reels from the COVID-19 crisis, terrorism continues to pose a grave threat to international peace and security. It is evolving and diversifying, and we have seen many trends magnified during the pandemic and many underlying drivers exacerbated by the political and socioeconomic fallout from the crisis. Malaysia reiterates its commitment to working within the United Nations framework in the effort to prevent and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Although much work remains to be done, the Assembly can rest assured of Malaysia’s cooperation in our discussions as well as its commitment to achieving a world free of terrorism.

Let me begin by thanking the co-facilitators of the seventh biennial Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy review process, Ambassadors Mohamed Al Hassan, Permanent Representative of Oman, and Agustín Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain, for their dedication to ensuring the success of the process. The constructive engagement and cooperation of Member States culminated in the adoption of resolution 75/291 on this critical, dynamic and fast-evolving phenomenon, which knows no borders. We also recognize the efforts of the Secretary-General and Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and his team at the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism in the process. My delegation welcomed the resolution’s adoption by consensus (see A/75/PV.88), representing another milestone in international cooperation and multilateralism with a view to countering terrorism at the national, regional and global levels. Kenya has experienced first-hand the effects of terrorism and terrorist attacks. We therefore believe that the constant and regular review and updating of the Strategy is essential to mitigating the dynamic nature of the terrorist threat internationally. The support of Member States in implementing the Strategy is also critical. We remain committed to those processes. I would now like to make six points. First, Kenya launched its first national counter- terrorism strategy for countering violent extremism in September 2016, laying out non-coercive approaches to the prevention of violent extremism. Secondly, Kenya’s national strategy has been localized in all our 47 counties, through county-level action plans for the prevention of violent extremism. That represents a comprehensive structuring of grass-roots prevention efforts, anchored in multisectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement, aimed at building better coordination, synergies and community mobilization in our prevention work. Thirdly, as part of our contribution to global counter-terrorism efforts, Kenya is willing to share lessons with other Member States in a number of areas. They include our pioneering approach in using county action plans, especially in a South-to-South context; the disengagement, rehabilitation and reintegration of violent extremists; the leveraging of interfaith and intrafaith dialogue and networks to support the prevention of radicalization and recruitment from an ideological perspective; the positive engagement of the media as key stakeholders in the fight against terrorism; advances in countering terrorism financing and money-laundering; and a multi-agency approach to counter-terrorism in areas such as border management, counter-terrorism financing, protective security and counter-terrorism operations. Fourthly, Kenya is finalizing its efforts to link counter-terrorism and prevention measures to relevant Security Council resolutions and the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which will support its monitoring and evaluation. Fifthly, there is a need for Member States to move beyond normative processes and debates towards the practical implementation of counter-terrorism and prevention measures, thereby giving effect to the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. That commitment to action will ensure the revised Strategy’s effectiveness. Sixthly, we welcome the establishment of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism Programme Offices in Kenya and Morocco. We believe that in partnership with the host Governments of Kenya and Morocco, as well as other Governments in the region, the Offices will help to deliver initiatives to counter violent extremism and terrorism, which will make a substantive contribution to protecting States from the risk of terrorism. We look forward to the capacity- building initiatives and technical support that will do a great deal to serve the region in its counter- terrorism efforts. In conclusion, Kenya remains committed and looks forward to engaging with States within the reviewed Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We believe that it provides a good guide for strengthening the international approach to existing and future challenges as well as threats in the area of counter-terrorism.

At the outset, I want to thank the Permanent Representatives of Oman and Spain, Mr. Mohamed Al Hassan and Mr. Agustín Santos Maraver, and their able teams for their leadership in facilitating the discussions on the seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. With the adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006 (resolution 60/288), Member States expressed their resolve to enhance national, regional and international efforts to counter the scourge of terrorism. The Strategy continues to serve as a key framework that guides our multilateral cooperation with a view to preventing and combating that global challenge, which knows no boundaries. Armenia is committed to the implementation of the Strategy across all four of its pillars, in cooperation with United Nations counter-terrorism entities. We recognize the important role of the Office of Counter-Terrorism in contributing to Member States’ effective and comprehensive implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Strategy (A/75/729) highlights emerging trends in the activities of international terrorist organizations, particularly in the context of the crisis caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The socioeconomic impact of the pandemic and the global lockdown has created an environment conducive to the radicalization and recruitment of terrorists. The report also outlines the continuing threat of the relocation of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant from Syria and Iraq to other conflict zones and fragile areas. The regular review and update of the Strategy is therefore an important mechanism for the international community if it is to keep up with the fast-growing threats related to international terrorism. In that regard, we are pleased to note that resolution 75/291, which we have just adopted, takes into consideration the growing threat of the involvement of foreign terrorist fighters in conflict zones. Several regions across the world, including ours, have been facing the threat of terrorism amid the unprecedented global pandemic. Foreign terrorist fighters and mercenaries have been used as proxies in conflicts in order to project influence and advance political goals. The recruitment and transfer of foreign terrorist fighters from the Middle East to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone has led to gross violations of human rights, including the right to self-determination, as well as war crimes and atrocity crimes. The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has also fuelled hate, xenophobia and polarization. Given that terrorists and terrorist groups are widely misusing information and communications technologies and social media to propagate their radical ideology and increase their recruitment potential, the international community must redouble its efforts to enhance its prevention of the malicious use of the cyber domain for terrorist purposes, by addressing hate speech and the targeting of ethnic and religious groups. In that regard, we would like to particularly stress the challenge of combating State-led and -sponsored efforts to radicalize societies by identity-building through the dehumanization of certain ethnicities and nations. Armenia rejects all attempts to associate any particular country, race, religion, culture or nationality with terrorism, while also acknowledging that terrorists have exploited religious solidarity to commit heinous crimes against humanity, targeting religious and ethnic groups. The promotion of human rights and the rule of law and of inclusive and accountable governance that respects the human rights of all members of society is vital to the prevention agenda. The international community should also unite its efforts to uphold international law, in particular international humanitarian law and international human rights law, when countering terrorism. In conclusion, I would like to stress that resolution 75/291, on the seventh review of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, creates important momentum in further advancing our common efforts to achieve a world without terrorism. The United Nations should maintain its paramount role in that endeavour.

Terrorism continues to be one of the main threats to international peace and security. It does not distinguish between religion, nationality, ethnicity or region. According to the Global Terrorism Index, in the year following the sixth review of the Strategy, in 2019, some 13,800 people lost their lives in terrorist attacks. In that same year, while we were negotiating the draft text of resolution 75/291, on the seventh review, we were faced with reports of new attacks, proving that our work on this issue is not hypothetical but rather tangibly salient. The seventh review process of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy also coincides with the seventy- fifth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) and the fifteenth anniversary of the adoption of the Global Strategy (resolution 60/288). It is an opportune time to take stock and reflect not only on the progress that has been made but also on the goals still to be achieved. There is no doubt that terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism constitute an ever- evolving threat. The growing use of the Internet to spread extremist messages and recruit individuals, the increase in xenophobic and racist rhetoric combined with easy access to firearms, acts of terrorism committed against easy targets and the proliferation of terrorist organizations in situations of armed conflict are just some of the challenges we face today. Mexico is alarmed by the increase in ethnic and racial terrorism observed in recent years. Data provided by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate reveals that there was a 320 per cent increase in terrorist attacks of that nature in 2020, which should demand our immediate attention. Those new trends of attacks by far-right and white supremacist groups have also been identified by the Secretary-General in his most recent report (A/75/729). Yet we were not able to include an explicit reference to that issue in the resolution on the latest review of the Strategy, which is intended to serve precisely to update the United Nations perspective on this issue. Fifteen years after the adoption of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288), Mexico believes more firmly than ever that prevention is key to effectively and comprehensively combating terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism. That implies strengthening the first and fourth pillars of the Strategy. It is clear that the fight against terrorism will be won through development, education, job opportunities, social justice and gender equality, and not through military belligerence or force. That must be the main lesson learned after all the years of the so-called war on terror. Violence always generates more violence. Any efforts to counter terrorism cannot and should not under any circumstances go beyond the limits established by international law, as set out in the Charter of the United Nations and in accordance with the use of force within its strict limits, international humanitarian law, international human rights law and refugee law. Abuse of the provisions of Article 51 of the Charter in the context of the fight against terrorism is unacceptable and sets dangerous precedents for the future. Moreover, the obligation to guarantee humanitarian assistance, including medical services, as stipulated by international humanitarian law, cannot be subservient to or limited by measures to combat terrorism. The success of our prevention efforts also depends to a large extent on our success in consolidating the sustainable development of all nations, ensuring a true gender perspective. It is critical to ensure that women are at the heart of the fight against terrorism and building community resilience. At the same time, notions of masculinity must be taken into account in violent radicalization. We have heard on countless occasions that such issues are beyond the purview of the counter-terrorism agenda. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is a direct correlation between the terrorism prevention agenda and the reconstruction and strengthening of our social fabric based on the full realization of human rights. I would like to conclude by thanking the Ambassadors of Spain and Oman, with a special mention for their experts, for their work as co-facilitators of the seventh review of the Strategy. The latest resolution is particularly complex and its adoption by consensus is no small feat. However, we would be remiss in thinking that our work is done. The deep-seated divergence of opinions and approaches during the negotiations, as well as the fact that we were unable to update the text in order to make progress on the most sensitive issues, makes clear the magnitude of the challenge we face in reality if we are to put an end to this scourge. Mexico reiterates its commitment to the full implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which should be accompanied by the establishment of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. We would like to take this opportunity to once again condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, while reiterating that the perpetrators of those crimes cannot go unpunished and must be detained and prosecuted in full compliance with the law and the rule of law.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item for this meeting. We will hear the remaining speakers tomorrow morning, Wednesday, 7 July, at 10 a.m. in this Hall.