United Nations Efforts to Address Terrorism Threat ‘Crucial to Global Security’,

 

Says Secretary-General in Message to Vienna Meeting

 

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, delivered by Jean-Paul Laborde, Head, Office of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, in Vienna, 14 October:

Terrorism is a major security threat in today’s world.  Countless innocent civilians and the United Nations itself have suffered heinous terrorist acts.  Our efforts to address this problem comprehensively are crucial to global security.

I attach great importance to your work.  As you know, I have appointed Jean-Paul Laborde to lead the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force [CTIFTF], and have established a CTITF Office in the Department of Political Affairs.  These measures should allow you to build on your already considerable accomplishments.

I congratulate Task Force members for bringing together more than two dozen entities. Some are focused directly on terrorism, while others bring expertise on non-proliferation, disarmament, education, cultural and inter-religious dialogue, human rights, peacekeeping, health and other issues.  This range of experience allows the United Nations to address terrorism as part of our broader mission to promote development, human rights and peace.  It also promotes synergies and information-sharing, and allows each entity to maximize its comparative advantage.

In short, the CTITF is carrying out the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in a far-reaching and integrated manner.  Looking to the future, I envisage an enhanced role for the CTITF in ensuring overall coordination of United Nations counter-terrorism efforts, in catalysing United Nations system-wide initiatives to support the Strategy, and in interacting with Member States, regional and international organizations and civil society towards achieving its aims.

I am grateful to Assistant Secretary-General Robert Orr for leading the Task Force since its outset, and have full confidence in the guidance that Mr. Laborde will now provide.

The United Nations has brought the world a long way in advancing multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation, but we are far from reaching safer shores.  I am counting on the Task Force, with support from across the United Nations system, to advance our journey towards peace and security for all.

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For information media • not an official record