Saudi Arabia affirms its support for the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to supporting the efforts of the international community, particularly the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, as a cornerstone for addressing threats to international peace and security. This clear affirmation came during a speech delivered by the Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Wasil, at a meeting of ambassadors held within the framework of the UN80 initiative. This initiative aims to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of the capabilities of the UN office responsible for this vital issue, to ensure its effective response to rapidly evolving global challenges.
Saudi Arabia's leading role in establishing the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre
Saudi support for global peace efforts is not a recent development, but rather has deep historical roots reflecting the Kingdom's strategic vision. Saudi Arabia was the founding donor and primary supporter of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT ) in 2011, in response to the historic proposal launched by the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (may God have mercy on him) during the international conference in Riyadh in 2005. Since then, the Kingdom has chaired the Centre's Advisory Board and provided generous financial contributions exceeding $100 million to ensure its sustainability. This longstanding support has enabled the Centre to implement hundreds of projects and programs to build the capacities of member states in key areas including preventing violent extremism, combating illicit financing, enhancing border security, and promoting human rights.
Addressing digital threats and exploiting artificial intelligence
In light of rapid technological advancements, the Kingdom, during the UN80 initiative meeting, emphasized the paramount importance of preserving the capabilities of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and bolstering its support with sustainable resources. It stressed the need to adapt to emerging threats that now pose a serious danger to societies. Among the most prominent of these challenges is the exploitation by extremist groups of artificial intelligence technologies and modern digital platforms for recruitment, disseminating disinformation, and facilitating financing. Countering these threats requires a proactive approach based on developing advanced technological tools and strengthening cooperation between governments and major technology companies to cut off the ideological and financial resources of these groups in cyberspace.
Regional and international impact: Africa at the heart of global attention
At the regional and international levels, the impact of these efforts is most evident in the areas most affected by conflict. The Kingdom noted in its statement that the African continent remains the most affected by terrorist operations, necessitating the establishment of an effective international partnership and a coordinated response that takes into account the national priorities of the continent's countries. In this context, the Kingdom strongly condemned the recent attacks in the Republic of Mali, specifically in the capital, Bamako, affirming its full solidarity with the affected countries. The stability of Africa is a cornerstone of global security, and supporting the institutional and security capacities of its countries directly contributes to mitigating humanitarian crises, preventing the spread of organized crime, and promoting opportunities for sustainable economic development that eliminate the environments conducive to extremism.
