The annual event is a key moment to take stock of the current terrorism landscape and to reflect on the EU-UN strategic partnership for common efforts against the global scourge of terrorism and the underlying spread of violent extremism.
The EU and the UN discussed current terrorism challenges, notably in West Africa and the Sahel, East Africa, Afghanistan and Central Asia, and the Middle East. Building on the outcome of three EU-UN staff talks held in June, theyalso addressed thematic areas of common concern, such as terrorism based on xenophobia, racism, and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief, CT cooperation in Africa, and the situation in the camps in Northeast Syria.
The EU and UN representatives also provided an update on strategic policy developments since the previous High LevelDialogue in April 2022, including on the consensus eighth review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy by the UN General Assembly. Representatives emphasised theimportance of placing human rights and the rule of law at the core of the global response to terrorism. They also underlined the critical role of civil society, and gender-responsive policies to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.
The annual Dialogue also marked the first anniversary of the EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility, an EU-funded andUN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT)-managedinitiative that provides technical assistance to requestingcountries faced with terrorism, including through mentoringand advisory services and training, in coordination with other EU and UN capacity-building efforts.
They concluded with an agreement to continue cooperating closely on key joint priorities, focusing on impact and results,and to actively explore ways to strengthen multilateral cooperation, particularly in Africa, including by leveraging the EU’s role of co-chair of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF).
The Fifth EU-UN High Level Dialogue was co-chaired by Joanneke Balfoort, Deputy Managing Director for Security and Defence Policy at the European External Action Service,and by Raffi Gregorian, Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General and Director the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT). The Dialogue, hosted by the European External Action Service, was also attended by principals and representatives from the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments, the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs, the Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, the Council, and, on the side of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact, by UNOCT, the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate (CTED), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team.
Source – EEAS