Ban calls on nations to ramp up actions against terrorism

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on nations to boost their efforts to combat terrorism, highlighting four pillars to prevent and counter the global scourge.

“The need is eminently clear. Terrorism continues to affect all regions of the world. It has left a heavy toll of ruined lives and deferred hopes for peace and prosperity,” Mr. Ban said in his remarks to the second meeting of the Advisory Board of the UN Centre for Counter Terrorism (UNCCT) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. “But the world is fighting back against this menace.”

The UNCCT was created in September 2010, with the support of the Government of Saudi Arabia, and seeks to support the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which was adopted by the General Assembly in 2006.

Mr. Ban stressed that countries need to focus on realizing the four key areas of action of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which consist of tackling the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, preventing and combating terrorism, building States' capacity to counter terrorism, and ensuring respect for human rights against the backdrop of the fight against terrorism.

“Suppressing the financing of terrorism is a critical area where internationally-accepted guidelines need to be effectively applied,” Mr. Ban said. “At the strategic level, we need to try to understand – and counter – the appeal of terrorism. That means building a culture of dialogue, spreading education and promoting inter-community engagements,” he added.

Mr. Ban encouraged members of the UNCCT Advisory Board, which is made up of almost two-dozen experts in the field of counter-terrorism, to focus on developing institutional and technical capacities at a national level, particularly by helping to create and review national strategies.

Mr. Ban also emphasized the UNCCT’s potential to highlight the plight of victims of terrorism. “Victims and their families are among the most powerful voices in the fight against terrorism, and I urge the UNCCT to support their efforts.”

Mr. Ban co-chaired the meeting with the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, with whom he held a press conference after a meeting in which they discussed the latest developments in Syria, and the transition in Yemen, as well as regional issues.

During his visit, which ends tomorrow, Mr. Ban also met with the Saudi Defence Minister, Prince Salman bin Abdel Aziz, and the Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs, Prince Mohammed Bin Naif Bin Abdulaziz.

In addition, Mr. Ban visited the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and met with its Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, with whom he discussed boosting cooperation between the two organizations.

“We have discussed how we can strengthen our strategic partnership and cooperative relationship in addressing, in terms of political areas, first starting with the situation in Syria and Darfur, Sudan, the situation in Sahel, and Afghanistan and Somalia,” Mr. Ban said.