ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, June 29, 2023/ — The State of Qatar reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to strengthening international cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism and violent extremism through a comprehensive approach, stressing that the international response must be comprehensive, cooperative, well-informed, adopt best practices, and to have the United Nations as the main coordinator.
This came in the State of Qatar’s statement delivered by HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani to the side event of the United Nations Joint Appeal for Counter-Terrorism in Africa, held on the sidelines of the Third Counter-Terrorism Week (CT Week), in New York.
Her Excellency reiterated the State of Qatar’s assertion that the growth of terrorism constitutes a major threat to international peace and security, particularly in Africa. She added that the 10 UN inter-agency flagship initiatives supported by the Joint Appeal represent a promise to be met and that they form a new generation of multilateral action and joint programming that rely on the strengths of each partner to deliver comprehensive and innovative responses to complex priority challenges across the continent.
HE the Permanent Representative noted that the Joint Appeal for Counter-Terrorism in Africa is timely and relevant as it supports the priorities and spirit of the eighth biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which strongly focuses on preventive measures.
Her Excellency stated that sufficient and predictable funding is a prerequisite for the UN to fulfill its mandates and effectively support member states in implementing the global strategy. She noted that the State of Qatar has committed itself to supporting strategic and multi-partner initiatives for the prevention and combating of violent extremism, through the multi-year strategic investment of USD 120 million in the United Nations Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism for the eight-year-period of (2019-2026).
In this context, HE Sheikha Alya expressed her happiness to see that many leading counter-terrorism global programs supported by the State of Qatar via the United Nations Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism have been selected for the Joint Appeal.
She expressed her gratitude for co-organizing the launch of Joint Appeal for Counter-Terrorism in Africa, together with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the Kingdom of Morocco, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Republic of Tunisia.
HE the Permanent Representative also voiced the State of Qatar’s pride in having hosted the first Annual Forum of Beneficiaries of Technical Assistance in Doha in March 2022, looking forward for the second Annual Forum of Beneficiaries of Technical Assistance, which will focus on Africa, to be held in Rabat in November.
HE Sheikha Alya commended the parties to the Joint Appeal, for their dedication, tireless efforts, and collaborative spirit, looking forward to learning about the transformative effects of the Joint Appeal in due course.
