UAE reaffirms commitment to combat international terrorism

The UAE has reaffirmed its commitment to continue implementing relevant strategies and modernising its national laws, with the aim of combatting all forms of international terrorism.

The statement was made by the country’s delegation during the recent meetings of the United Nations, UN, General Assembly Sixth Committee (Legal) while discussing an item on preventative measures to eliminate international terrorism.

The statement highlighted the UAE’s position against terrorism, which has become a global issue and has spread beyond national borders while adding that terrorism and extremism are causing many security and humanitarian crises.

It also stressed the importance of eliminating this scourge by strengthening international efforts, under the four pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, through the exchange of best practices and knowledge, as well as partnerships and international alliances.

It noted that the UAE has actively participated in 15 regional and international alliances to combat terrorism and terrorist groups, including the international coalition against Daesh and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum.

The statement further highlighted the UAE’s desire to develop a comprehensive legal framework, to ensure that anti-terrorism laws are up-to-date and that financing terrorism is criminalised while further stressing the importance of eliminating funding for terrorist organisations and taking further measures to expose countries that support and finance terrorism.

The statement also referred to the UAE’s combined efforts with many regional and international partners to address the issues of the financing, promotion and justification of terrorism, to drain away its sources of funding. It also called on UN member states to fulfil their obligations, in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions, conventions and treaties.

The statement affirmed the importance of strengthening the co-operation between UN counter-terrorism organisations, and the UAE delegation welcomed the UN Secretary-General's efforts to reform the organisation’s counter-terrorism structure, including the recent establishment of the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism.

It also mentioned the UAE’s financial contribution, in May 2017, to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, to support its role while pledging that the UAE would continue to provide further necessary support.