(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –UN Secretary-General António Guterres says the recent despicable attacks in Kenya, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, among others, are tragic reminders of the global reach of the scourge of terrorism.
In remarks made at the official launch of the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel Programme, in New York, Guterres said he established the Office of Counter-Terrorism in 2017 for several fundamental reasons: to help strengthen international counter-terrorism cooperation; to expand multilateral networks for sharing information to detect, identify, disrupt and prosecute terrorists; and to ensure that Member States most affected by terrorism have the capacity to tackle this evolving threat.
“The recent despicable attacks in Kenya, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, among others, are tragic reminders of the global reach of the scourge of terrorism. These attacks underscore the need to work closely with partners across the United Nations system and beyond,” he said.
Guterres thanked the Netherlands Government for its generous contribution to this effort. He also appreciated the continued support of the Governments of India, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to the counter-terrorism work of the United Nations.
