Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed addresses the Security Council’s high-level debate on counter-terrorism in Africa, seated next to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana, which holds the Council presidency for November. UN Photo/Loey Felipe
On 10 November 2022, the Security Council convened a high-level debate focusing on counter-terrorism in Africa: an imperative for peace, security and development, under its agenda item on threats to international peace and security.
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, delivering a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General, highlighted the particularly urgent situation of the expansion in the Sahel region of terrorist organizations, who are exploiting climate change, emerging technologies, and COVID-19. She emphasized that measures to counter terrorism in Africa require a whole-of-society approach, with effective multilateral responses needed to be employed.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, emphasized the extent that Africa is experiencing the proliferation of terrorism. At the same time, the traditional means of responding to threats to peace and security no longer correspond to new threats and developments of terrorism.
Benedikta Von Seherr-Thoss, Managing Director for Common Security and Defence Policy and Crisis Response, European External Action Service, listed the European Union’s various counter-terrorism efforts, stressing that multilateralism is essential. Indeed, the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism requires a whole-of-society approach, good governance and supporting regional counter-terrorism efforts. In addition, women and girls must be actively included in the international community’s prevention approach, she said.
The President of the International Crisis Group, Comfort Ero, also briefed the Council, emphasizing the need to support African-led missions, while highlighting that they must be properly and reliably resourced.
During the debate, Member States raised a number of issues.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, which holds the Security Council presidency for November, spoke in his national capacity, stressing that international support to countering terrorism must be pre-emptive, rather than reactive. The Council and the wider international community must address the underlying drivers of instability through resilience-building in conflict prone regions, including in the areas of promoting democratic values, development and State services.
Some delegates outlined how the COVID-19 pandemic amplified drivers for the spread of terrorism, as well as the increasing threat of new and emerging technologies, including the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms. Delegates also stressed the need for adequate and predictable funding, with some pointing to the need to review the sanctions regime and United Nations mission mandates.
Several issues raised by Member States underscored ongoing efforts of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), including its 2022 report on the key trends and developments of ISIL in Africa, a 2021 report on the link between the COVID-19 pandemic and terrorism, a recent CTED-led Insight Briefing on countering online dissemination of terrorist incident-related content, and CTED's involvement with civil society organizations to support victims of terrorism.
Read the full Section’s press release on the meeting here, in and .