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Thank you Mr. Chairman,
We welcome the convening of this Special commemorative meeting as well as the excellent leadership of the CTC by Tunisia.
Mr. Chairman,
In the two decades since the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1373, the threat of global terrorism has evolved both ideologically and geographically.
The existing global counter-terrorism architecture must be reviewed in order to adapt to these developments, including by focusing on the new and emerging threats in the global terrorism.
One of the most serious manifestations of such new and emerging terrorist threats is in the form of increasing number of terrorist attacks on the basis of Islamophobia, racism, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance, by violent nationalist, far right, and other such groups and ideologies.
In the backdrop of increasing Islamophobia in many parts of the world, Muslims unfortunately, appear to be the primary target of such groups and ideologies.
While the phenomenon of Islamophobia is not new, it has intensified and grown to "epidemic proportions" in the last two decades owing to the unfortunate stereotyping of Muslims, and by associating them with terrorism.
Inherent shortcomings in the global counter-terrorism architecture, including lack of transparency and opaqueness in the norm building process as well as discriminatory laws have reinforced such stereotypes, helping the discourse of the racist, and xenophobic groups and ideologies.
Socio-economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic has also fuelled this discriminatory discourse and has increased intolerance, discrimination, racism, and violence against monitories, and immigrants in many parts of the world.
Appropriate changes, therefore, must be made in the global counter terrorism architecture, including in the UN Security Council sanctions regime, to address the new and emerging terrorist threats on the basis of Islamophobia, racism, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance, as well as to end stigmatization of Islam and Muslims.
Mr. Chairman,
The unanimously adopted 7th Review of the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) calls upon member states to take appropriate measures to address these new and emerging threats, and to counter direct and indirect forms of religious and racial discrimination.
The Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) have a curial role to play in this regard, including by closely monitoring the growth and evolution of such terrorist groups and ideologies; developing a better understanding of their discourse; and identifying ways to strengthen Member States' laws, capacities and responses against such groups, including by countering their financing and addressing the transnational threat posed by them.
We welcome CTED's recent Trend Alerts on the issue and look forward to its continued focus on the issue. We also look forward to the UN Secretary General's upcoming report in this regard in line with the 7th Review of GCTS.
Mr. Chairman,
Terrorism cannot be separated from its political context, including the effects of long protracted conflicts in creating conditions conducive for the spread of terrorism.
History bears testimony to the undeniable reality that aggressors, colonizers and occupiers often attempt to justify their suppression of legitimate struggles for self-determination and freedom by portraying them as "terrorism". We are witnessing the epitome of this approach in our own neighbourhood.
It is imperative for the international community, in particular, the UN Security Council, to address situations of prolonged unresolved conflicts, foreign occupation, and denial of the right to self-determination in order to address the root causes of terrorism.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.