H.E. MR. ALAN E. GEORGE
MINISTER COUNSELLOR/POLITICAL COORDINATOR
Thank you, Mr. President.
I thank the briefers, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and Ms. Natalia Gherman, Executive Director, Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), for their invaluable insights on the evolving threats posed by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and its affiliates.
At the outset, we express our sincere condolences to all Member States who have suffered from recent terrorist attacks, resulting in unfortunate loss of lives and property. Terrorism in all its forms is a scourge that we must contain, degrade, and ultimately destroy if we are to build a safer and more peaceful world.
Sierra Leone welcomes the Secretary-General’s 20th bi-annual strategic-level report (S/2025/72) on the threat posed by ISIL/Da’esh to international peace and security. The report affirms that a sustained, comprehensive approach with active participation and collaboration by States and organizations is essential to combating the scourge of global terrorism.
We acknowledge the critical work by United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities in addressing these threats and attacks, their impact, and the underlying conditions conducive to their entrenchment and spread.
President,
Globally, terrorism is the most significant threat to international peace and security today. Over the past years, global terrorist threat has evolved and expanded in many countries and regions. ISIL/Da’esh and its affiliates continue to demonstrate resilience and adapt their modus operandi with extensive propaganda, as well as increased finances, fighters, expertise, and technologies. This is despite the steady progress made by Member States in targeting its leadership and financial operations. The Secretary-General’s report states that the group still has access to “significant cash reserves, estimated at approximately $10 million in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic alone.”
The situation in Syria is deeply troubling, with the possibility of ISIL/Da’esh exploiting the fragile security situation to strengthen its position and expand its operations. There is also a risk that the stockpiles of advanced weapons, including unmanned aircraft systems in the country could be unsecured and fall into their hands, especially given that thousands of ISIL fighters still remain in prisons and refugee camps in northeastern Syria, including in Al Hol camp which accommodates about 39,000 ISIL members, their families, as well as refugees. In addressing the threats posed by ISIL/Da’esh to peace in the Middle East, Member States must prioritize strengthening the security sector in Syria as efforts are made to regularize its forces.
ISIL/Da’esh branches and affiliates, including Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), pose the greatest danger to stability and development in the West Africa and Sahel region, with violent attacks soaring by more than 250 percent in just two years. According to the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre, over 3,400 terrorist attacks resulting in almost 14,000 fatalities were recorded on the continent in 2024 alone. The statistics tell a chilling story, and recent attacks in Nigeria, Mali, and Benin bring the horrifying reality into sharp focus.
The impact of terrorist activity on women and girls is particularly devastating. Terrorists frequently exploit and brutalize women through sexual and gender-based violence, including forced marriages and abductions, causing profound trauma that reverberate through entire communities. Families are displaced, livelihoods are destroyed, and the social fabric necessary for resilience and recovery is torn apart. In this regard, we acknowledge the importance of resolution 2734 which recognizes sexual and gender-based violence as a tactic of terrorism and allows for sanctions listings in the UN 1267 ISIL/al-Qaida regime.
President,
The international community must strengthen solidarity, intensify cooperation, and jointly tackle this increasingly complex and grim transnational threat. On this note, we wish to make the following points:
First, addressing the root causes of terrorism as part of a long-term and comprehensive approach is key to preventing further entrenchment and spread. A security-centered approach alone is insufficient to counter this threat. Despite steady progress by Member States and international partners in targeting ISIL/Da’esh leadership and financial operations, the group continues demonstrating resilience and adapting its modus operandi.
The necessity of comprehensive, multi-tiered, non- kinetic and multi-stakeholder responses that focus on eradicating poverty, improving education, employment, the economy, and sustainable development cannot be overstated. Such an approach allows us to address multi-faceted challenges from diverse perspectives, ensuring that all stakeholders, including civil society and community leaders, are engaged in a cohesive and coordinated response. We encourage Member States to incorporate the analysis and recommendations of the CTED assessments in their prevention strategies.
Second, people must be at the center of all efforts, especially those most affected by adversity, such as women, youth, and minorities. Human dignity must be respected in all circumstances. Sierra Leone is deeply concerned that women and girls are affected by sexual and gender-based violence committed by ISIL/Da’esh. In this vein, particular emphasis should be put on integrating a gender perspective, as neglecting such considerations can weaken counter-terrorism efforts and potentially exacerbate the conditions that lead to terrorism and violent extremism, integrating Women’s Peace and Security considerations will not only address the immediate impacts of terrorism on women and girls but also empower women and girls as pivotal players in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Third, a global response is essential as many global challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, and climate change, are transnational. This collective responsibility must transcend political interests, and external influence must be leveraged positively and constructively. We must not countenance double standards, and terrorists should not be seen through the lens of a specific religion, region, or ethnicity. To this end, the international community should incorporate efforts by the entire UN system, global financial institutions, regional and subregional organizations, and civil society.
Fourth, the UN sanctions regime, including the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL/Da’esh and Al-Qaida sanctions regime, continues to serve as an effective tool in the fight against terrorism and in maintaining and restoring international peace and security. Sierra Leone supports its more effective use of disrupting financial networks that sustain terrorist operations. We note the efforts of the Financial Action Task Force (FAFT) and call for enhanced UN coordination with FATF to identify and remedy weaknesses in anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing frameworks. We also call on Member States to fully and robustly implement sanctions measures to counter and prevent the threat posed by terrorist acts.
Finally, to eliminate this global threat effectively, we must take action at the national, regional, and international levels. Therefore, strengthening security and regulatory frameworks and accountability mechanisms for coordinated response at these levels is paramount. We acknowledge the efforts of the African Union in combating terrorism including but not limited to the Malabo Declaration on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government, the establishment and operationalization of the AU Ministerial Committee on Counter-Terrorism; and the development of Comprehensive Continental Strategic Plan of Action on countering terrorism in Africa.
Sierra Leone particularly welcomes efforts to enhance regional cooperation and institutional building in the West African and Sahel region, including the High-Level African Counter Terrorism Meeting in Abuja in April 2024, which launched the “Abuja process” for mobilizing resources with support from the UNOCT.
Additionally, we underscore the need for adequate, sustainable and predictable funding for counterterrorism efforts, particularly terrorism in Africa, and within that context, we call for the full and immediate implementation of UNSC resolution 2719 in financing AU-led PSOs dedicated to combating terrorism or its effects on the Continent.
In conclusion, President, Sierra Leone emphasizes the importance of information sharing and collaboration among governments, institutions, the private sector, and security actors across borders to successfully address the proliferation and destructive activities of terror groups. Collective resources will lead to better outcomes and are critical in rebuilding defences against terrorism.
In adopting the Pact for the Future, Member States of the United Nations have committed themselves to building a world free of terrorism, online and offline. Let us not allow this unique opportunity that the pact of the future provides pass us by i.e. to renew our commitment to multilateralism, strive for a future free from terrorism, and to build a more peaceful, prosperous, dignified, and secure world for all.
I thank you.
