PRESS RELEASE : The UN and international coordination is key to countering terrorism – UK statement at the Security Council [August 2023]

Thank you, President.

I thank Under Secretary General Voronkov and Executive Director Gherman for their briefings and for the work of the monitoring team in producing the report.

I thank Ms Khalaf for her briefing today. Her harrowing account of the atrocities Daesh committed serves as a reminder of the lifelong impact of these crimes, and the poisonous ideology we are fighting. All survivors of gender-based violence and conflict-related sexual violence, including Yezidis and other communities in Iraq, deserve to see justice delivered.

We support UNITAD and Iraq in pursuing accountability for Daesh perpetrators, and we look forward to renewing UNITAD’s mandate next month to continue this important work.

Daesh continues to suffer blows to their campaign, including the death of leader Abu Husaini al-Qurashi in April. However, the threat is becoming less predictable, harder to detect, and harder to investigate. We must therefore keep up the pressure. A resurgent Daesh core in Syria and Iraq remains a real risk. IDP [Internally Displaced People] camps provide a fertile ground for radicalisation in which Daesh can recruit and operate. In Al-Hawl camp the UK is focusing our efforts on improving the situation through humanitarian assistance, by responding to gender-based violence and providing child protection.

As we heard today, ISKP [Islamic State – Khorasan Province] continues to show it has the capacity to carry out high-profile attacks on civilian and international targets inside Afghanistan and encourage attacks abroad. Earlier this year, the United Kingdom convened the inaugural ISKP Diplomatic Grouping that saw 19 countries come together and agree to intensify and coordinate our response to counter the threat from ISKP.

Last month the UK published a refresh of our Counter Terrorism Strategy – CONTEST – to ensure we remain agile in the face of an evolving threat and aligned with our international allies.

In Africa, Daesh is expanding fast and we urge the international community to step up our efforts.

We must address the root causes that are driving conflict in the region and enabling the expansion of Violent Extremist Organisations.

In the Sahel, the UK provides financial support to the UN’s regional stabilisation facility for the Lake Chad basin, an initiative that will support local communities.

Finally, President, the UN plays a key role in the fight against terrorism and the UK welcomed the adoption of the 8th Global Counter Terrorism Strategy.

International coordination, with a meaningful role for civil society, remains essential for our work.