PRESS RELEASE : Government sets out support for counter-Daesh efforts [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 September 2024.

Address by Minister for the Middle East in Washington DC to mark the 10th anniversary of the Global Coalition against Daesh.

• Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer will address the Global Coalition against Daesh meeting hosted by Secretary of State Antony Blinken
• the meeting in Washington DC comes after a US-Iraqi joint announcement on the transition of the Coalition military mission into a new security arrangement under Iraqi leadership
• the minister will meet with a number of Global Coalition countries, including the US and Iraq, to discuss the importance of supporting Iraq in defeating Daesh

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Global Coalition against Daesh, the Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer is in Washington DC today to attend its annual ministerial-level meeting.

At the meeting he will reflect on the huge progress achieved by the Coalition towards eradicating Daesh in Iraq and Syria over the past decade and look ahead to further government support.

Recent UK action has included support of the Iraqi Security Forces to prevent the resurgence of Daesh networks, funding stabilisation in communities formerly occupied by Daesh, and working to discredit its propaganda in multiple languages through the Counter-Daesh Communications Cell.

The global meeting will see ministers and representatives from the 87 partners of the Global Coalition gather to discuss the continuing threat from Daesh and to commemorate efforts to counter Daesh and stabilise liberated areas in Iraq and Syria.

The meeting comes shortly after the announcement that the Coalition’s military operation in Iraq will transition into a range of new security arrangements. The UK and the Global Coalition forces have helped Iraq to prevent the resurgence of Daesh.

Since 2014, the UK has trained over 120,000 security forces through Operation SHADER and contributed over £500 million in humanitarian and stabilisation assistance to affected communities and internally displaced persons in Iraq and Syria.

In response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the UK has provided over £4.3 billion in aid to support millions of people in Syria and across the region by improving humanitarian conditions for those in dire need and supporting early recovery and resilience, such as through agricultural and livelihoods opportunities.

Hamish Falconer will reaffirm the UK’s commitment to tackle the continuing threat posed by Daesh and to help people and communities affected by their appalling activities rebuild their lives.

Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said:

In the decade since the UK helped form the Coalition we have made enormous progress together, including defeating Daesh territorially. However, Daesh is a threat that continues to destroy lives, in the Middle East and beyond. We now renew our commitment promoting security and stability in areas targeted by the terrorists, and to ensuring they can never resurge.

I am proud of the UK’s continuing role in the Coalition, from supporting security partners in Iraq and Syria, to rebuilding communities affected by terrorism, to leading international efforts against Daesh’s appalling propaganda.

The minister will meet the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, to discuss how the 2 countries can develop their security partnership and the role the UK plays in developing Iraq’s counter propaganda abilities.

He will highlight the invaluable work of the Communications Cell, hosted by the UK, whose targeted campaigns have diminished support for terrorism. Through work to undermine Daesh propaganda in the Middle East, Afghanistan and parts of Africa, the UK’s Counter-Daesh Communications Cell has reached audiences in the tens of millions, contributing to a sustained reduction in support for the terrorist group, and increased public trust in legitimate authorities and security forces.