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94th Plenary Meeting of General Assembly 71st Session
The new counter-terrorism office marked a milestone in efforts to improve United Nations efficiency in fighting terrorism, delegates in the General Assembly said today, calling on its freshly appointed head to strengthen coordination among the 38 agencies, funds and programmes, and affiliated organizations to end the scourge.
Peter Thomson (Fiji), President of the General Assembly, said this week’s terrorist attacks on internally displaced persons in Nigeria, a marketplace in Pakistan and civil servants in Afghanistan were tragic reminders of the scale of the challenge ahead. Following last month’s adoption of Assembly resolution 71/291 establishing the Office, and appointment of Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov as its Under-Secretary-General, today’s meeting was the next step for the Assembly in pursuing implementation of the 2006 Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
In the ensuing debate, delegates welcomed the appointment of Mr. Voronkov as the Office’s new Head, and outlined their broader views on how the United Nations could help States build capacity to address the spread of terrorism, adopt measures to prevent such behaviour and other steps to ensure respect for human rights. In reviewing the Secretary-General’s report (document A/71/858), many said it was critical for the new Office to support the balanced implementation of the Global Strategy across its four pillars.
With that in mind, the representative of the United States said the Office must prioritize the Secretary-General’s action plan to combat terrorism by promoting preventive measures that addressed the drivers of extremism. It should also engage local civil society, especially young people and women, and promote respect for human rights. The representative of the Russian Federation, meanwhile, underscored the need for targeted technical support from the United Nations and international community, noting that the murder in December 2016 of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey and the terrorist attack on a Saint Petersburg train in April demonstrated the importance of collective efforts.
Egypt’s delegate said the Office should help build national capacities and improve cooperation with regional organizations, such as the League of Arab States. It should also reflect on non-conventional methods and ensure financing for relevant counter-terrorism projects. Kenya’s delegate called for equitable geographic representation within the Office as its structure evolved, drawing particularly on the expertise of countries on the front lines of the war against terrorism, notably in Africa. He underscored the need to invest in deradicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration to win the war of ideas with violent extremist groups. Indonesia’s delegate encouraged the United Nations to consider deploying a global moderation movement, stressing: “We must be innovative.”
More broadly, speakers from Nicaragua, Maldives, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bangladesh and the Philippines were among those warning against linking terrorism to any culture, religion, ethnicity or nationality, with Saudi Arabia’s delegate stressing that fighting extremist ideology must remain a priority. Syria’s delegate expressed reservations about operative paragraph 3 of resolution 71/291, which should be reviewed, as it created a dangerous situation in giving Saudi Arabia privileges. To be independent, the Office must be free from political and financial pressures brought on by States that sought to undermine its goals.
Also today, the Assembly paid tribute to Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann (Nicaragua), its sixty-third President from 2008 to 2009, who many said had dedicated his life to human rights and social justice. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, said Mr. d’Escoto would be remembered as a preeminent politician and priest, who promoted disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, and worked to fight terror and hunger throughout the world. Nicaragua’s delegate called Mr. d’Escoto a “fearless figure” of his country’s revolution who walked with the poor with an unwavering faith.
Turning to the Joint Inspection Unit, the General Assembly decided that the term of office for the person to replace Rajab Sukayri, who would resign on 31 December 2017, should be from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019.
Also speaking today were representatives of Chad (on behalf of the African States), Myanmar (on behalf of the Asia-Pacific States), Jamaica (on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States), Belgium (on behalf of the Western European and other States), Russian Federation (on behalf of the Eastern European States), Canada (also on behalf of New Zealand), Israel, Tunisia, India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Iceland, China, Turkey, Argentina, Iran, Pakistan, Jordan and Morocco, as well as the European Union.