António Guterres (UN Secretary-General) on the…

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Each of you gathered here today bears an exceptional duty: to help lead the global response to terrorism.

Thank you for your commitment, and welcome to the United Nations.

We meet at a moment of acute instability.

Conflicts are triggering energy shocks, inflation and hunger across the globe.

Temperatures are rising.

Millions are displaced.

And millions more face economic hardship.

These conditions – of want, of fragility, of mistrust – are ideal circumstances for terror to thrive.

From Africa to South Asia, and across the Middle East, affiliates of Al-Qaida and Da'esh and other terrorist groups persist.

Violent extremist narratives – including those based on xenophobia, racism, and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief – pose deadly domestic threats in many nations.

Terrorists of all stripes are adapting.

New technologies make it easier for them to finance and recruit.

Criminal networks speed the flow of cash and weapons, now including deadly drones.

Armed conflicts contribute to the erosion of rule of law, leading to entrenched patterns of impunity across many affected regions.

We know the brutal consequences all too well.

Lives cut short.  Livelihoods destroyed.  And communities divided for generations.

Women and girls are disproportionately affected, as terrorist actors use sexual and gender-based violence to control populations, to erode community bonds, to facilitate recruitment and generate revenue.

That is why victims and survivors must remain at the heart of all we do. 

Excellencies,

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy – our shared framework for action and results.

This milestone is an opportunity to assess progress and strengthen our resolve.

I would like to thank the co-facilitators, the Permanent Representatives of Finland and Morocco, for steering the ninth Strategy review.

Looking ahead, I see four priorities.

First, prevention.

We must address the conditions and grievances that allow terrorism to take root.

Too many people face poverty, discrimination, disenfranchisement, and violations of their rights.

These wrongs do not justify terrorism.  Nothing can. 

But they can create vulnerabilities that terrorist groups are quick to exploit.

This is why advancing sustainable development and upholding human rights are vital to counter-terrorism.

In practice, this means expanding economic opportunity; ensuring greater inclusion for minorities; enabling the meaningful participation of women and youth; supporting local peacebuilding efforts; and protecting civic space.

A more equal world is a safer world. That is the power of prevention.

Second, cooperation.

Terrorism is a transnational threat, and no nation can address it alone.

The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy has been our foundation for two decades. 

And the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, spearheading the United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Coordination Compact, supports Member States in their commitments.

By deepening collaboration between states, we can close critical gaps, enhance capacity-building, and leverage one another's expertise.

But we can go further – by working with partners who know their communities and their needs.

Young people are creating prevention efforts that resonate with their peers.

Civil society organizations bring trusted community connections and local knowledge that strengthen our effectiveness and legitimacy. 

Victims share powerful testimonies that challenge terrorist narratives.

And the private sector plays a crucial role in sharing insight and securing the technologies terrorists seek to exploit.

Our allies are found across society – and by working together, we enhance our reach and our legitimacy.

Third, technology. 

Terrorists have grown adept at exploiting emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and unmanned weapons.

These tools have supercharged their ability to recruit, finance and plan attacks.

But technology also offers powerful tools to detect threats early, stop the flow of illicit assets, and understand pathways to terrorist radicalization.

With the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact, Member States made a commitment to harness digital tools for the public good.

And the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI will provide us with even greater insights to guide our work.

Excellencies,

Fourth, and most crucially of all, our values.

Experience shows that heavy-handed or inappropriate counter-terrorism measures risk fanning the flames of division, and cause people to lose faith in the institutions supposed to protect them.

In the worst-case scenario, measures purported to counter terrorism can in fact feed the conditions conducive to radicalization to violence.

That is why our response must be rooted in the very principles terror seeks to destroy:

Justice.

Human dignity.

And solidarity.

All our efforts must be firmly grounded in the rule of law and human rights. 

And informed by meaningful engagement with the people and communities whose live have been touched by terror.

Holding ourselves to the highest standard is how we heal wounds – and build trust where it has been broken.

Excellencies, 

Terrorism is evolving, and so must we.

Though the task before us is complex, our direction is clear.

Through prevention, cooperation, and unwavering commitment to human rights, we can build a safer world, where people everywhere live free from fear.

Thank you.