UN chief vows solidarity with Africa to end scourge of terrorism

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (C, front) speaks at the Security Council high-level debate on combating terrorism by strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on March 28, 2023. Tuesday reaffirmed the world body’s solidarity with Africa in the fight against terrorism, while “the trail of terror” continues to spread across the continent. (Xinhua/Xie E)

UNITED NATIONS, March 28 (Xinhua) – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday reaffirmed the world body’s solidarity with Africa in the fight against terrorism, while the “marks of terror” continue to spread across the continent.

He said terrorism consolidates its hold by finding and exploiting weaknesses and instability in political, economic and security systems.

“No age, no culture, no religion, no nationality and no region is immune,” Guterres said at a Security Council high-level debate on countering terrorism by strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations. But in Africa The situation is particularly worrying.” ,

He said desperation, poverty, hunger, lack of basic services, unemployment and unconstitutional changes in government are creating fertile ground for the creeping expansion of terrorist groups to infect new parts of the continent.

The UN chief expressed deep concern at the gains being made by terrorist groups in the Sahel and elsewhere.

“Terror’s circle is widening, fighters, money and weapons are increasingly flowing between regions and across continents, and new alliances are being forged with organized crime and piracy groups,” he said. .

Meanwhile, Guterres said the fight against terrorism is bringing African countries together.

“We see this across Africa, which is home to many regional counterterrorism initiatives,” he said. “Joint Efforts from the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, Mozambique and Beyond.”

The United Nations stands with Africa to end the scourge of terrorism, Guterres said, pointing to a number of UN efforts, including ongoing close cooperation with the African Union and regional and sub-regional African organizations.

According to Guterres, the UN is hosting an upcoming African Counter-Terrorism Summit with Nigeria, and strengthening cooperation on important peace initiatives such as the independent High-Level Panel on Security and Development in the Sahel.

Guterres said the eighth review of the global counter-terrorism strategy in June, co-facilitated by Canada and Tunisia, would be an important opportunity to find new ways to more effectively deal with the structural conditions that create fertile ground for terror to spread. We do.

The United Nations Security Council held a high-level debate on combating terrorism by strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on March 28, 2023. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed the world body on Tuesday. Solidarity with Africa in the fight against terrorism, while warnings of “the trail of terror” are spreading across the continent. (Xinhua/Xie E)