International cooperation critical as terrorism threat evolves

This article is published in association with United Nations.

Terrorism is evolving amid global instability characterised by heightened geopolitical tensions, protracted conflicts and growing fragmentation – and the international response must also evolve to meet the challenge. 

The issue is the spotlight as the United Nations marks the organization’s Fourth Counter-Terrorism Week, bringing together more than 1,000 participants from some 119 countries, representing governments, regional organizations, academia, civil society and the private sector. 

Alexandre Zouev, UN Acting Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, laid out the current landscape in an address in the General Assembly Hall on Monday. 

Terrorist groups ‘resilient’ 

Speaking at the opening of a high-level conference for national counter-terrorism chiefs, he said terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, Da’esh (also known as ISIL), and their affiliates “remain adaptive and resilient.”  

Moreover, they are becoming more sophisticated, including due to use of artificial intelligence and cyber security threats. 

“They leverage instability, governance gaps, socioeconomic inequalities, and new and emerging technologies to expand their reach, recruit and mobilize resources,” he said. 

As UN Secretary-General António Guteres stated, “terrorism is evolving, and so must we.” Although the way forward is complex, it is clear. 

“Through prevention, cooperation, and unwavering commitment to human rights, we can build a safer world, where people everywhere live free from fear,” he said. 

Diverse viewpoints important 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which the Secretary-General said provides an opportunity to both assess progress and strengthen resolve. 

Although Member States have primary responsibility for preventing and combating terrorism, the UN continues to underscore the importance of including a broad range of actors, such as victims, women, and young people. 

Women’s voices crucial 

Dr. Fatima Ali Haider of the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN) encouraged governments to “ensure victims are collaborators on policies and strategies,” because “we have a lot to offer.” 

The medical doctor and academic, who herself survived a terrorist attack, also highlighted research she has conducted which shows how women are impacted differently by terrorism than men as it can lead to serious forms of gender-based violence. 

Yet “women’s voices are conspicuously absent in all spheres of strategic decision-making,” she said. 

“We need to redesign the security architecture to ensure women’s leadership and equal presence at all levels, from the home to public spaces, national security bodies, and yes, right up to the Security Council,” she said. 

Train first responders 

John P. Huvane was a first responder on 9/11 in New York City and was also in London during the deadly 7 July 2005 bombings.  He underscored the need for countries to “have their first responders trained,” pointing to measures such as table-top simulation exercises and designing response plans. 

“It’s constant training, investment in technology, and making sure that each first responder knows what they’re supposed to do in the event of a terrorist attack,” he said, while also stressing the importance of cooperation and communication among countries. 

Young people as ‘agents of prevention’ 

Mr. Huvane also happened to be in Nigeria when a terrorist bomb attack occurred. Shamsiya Ibrahim Barde grew up in the country’s northeast which has been rocked by years of conflict, displacement and violent extremism.  

She witnessed the insecurity, but also “ordinary young people choosing education over violence, dialogue over division, and service over despair.”    

Having participated in the Youth Engagement and Empowerment Programme ran by the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), she learned that “when young people are trusted, supported, and given meaningful opportunities, they become agents of prevention and positive change.” 

A second chance after radicalism 

Rimma Zhunusova, a mother of four from Kazakhstan, represented another version of positive change having spent several years at the notorious Al Hol camp in northeast Syria, where thousands of people are being held for their alleged or actual ties to Da’esh. 

She and her husband travelled to Syria in July 2013 following “an unprecedented wave of radical media propaganda”.  

Many others did the same, including young people “who sincerely believed that they were doing the right thing” but “did not understand how they were being manipulated through a carefully crafted narrative that disguised the true nature of armed extremist groups.” 

Ms. Zhunusova and her children were repatriated to Kazakhstan in May 2019 and received social, psychological and other support. Today, she runs a small door manufacturing workshop.  At times she struggled to tell her story, stopping to wipe away tears. 

“I am not here to justify my past actions. I am here to remind us all that even a person who has taken a dangerous path is capable of change,” she said, speaking through an interpreter. 

“Governments, societies, international organizations that provide people with a second chance through rescue, education, healthcare, and peaceful reintegration are making the world safer for everyone.”