UAE Calls for International Cooperation to Address Root Causes of Intolerance and Extremism

Strategic Insights -

His Excellency Salem Al Zaabi, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the need for a multi-faceted approach to prevent and counter terrorism at the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week. The UAE delegation, led by HE Al Zaabi and accompanied by HE Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of the UAE Cyber Security Council, delivered a statement highlighting the urgency of addressing intolerance and extremism before it escalates into acts of terrorism. The UAE's statement came as the UN Security Council adopted a resolution, co-penned by the UAE and the United Kingdom, recognizing the link between hate speech, racism, and extremism and the outbreak of conflict.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UAE calls for a multilateral and multi-pronged approach to prevent and counter terrorism, which requires addressing the root causes of intolerance and extremism.
  • The international community must work together to counter disinformation on the internet and social media to effectively prevent and counter terrorism.
  • The UN Security Council's adoption of a resolution on 'Tolerance and International Peace and Security' is the first of its kind to recognize the link between hate speech, racism, and extremism and the outbreak of conflict.
  • The UAE's delegation, led by HE Al Zaabi and HE Dr. Al Kuwaiti, engaged with other UN Member States and international counter-terrorism partners on critical counter-terrorism topics during CT Week.
  • The UAE hosted a discussion on terrorist groups' acquisition, weaponization, and deployment of Autonomous and Remotely Operated Systems (AROS), which saw the launch of a UAE-sponsored report from the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism and Conflict Armament Research.
  • The report aims to raise awareness of the dangers of proliferating AROS and their potential misuse by terrorists, and enhance the preparedness of Member States to prevent and counter the threats posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
  • HE Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, co-chaired a UN discussion entitled "Global Threat Landscape: Assessment of Current and Emerging Trends" with the Permanent Mission of Albania to the UN.
  • The UAE convened a discussion with India on multilateral responses to curb the misuse of digital tools by terrorists, and HE Dr. Al Kuwaiti highlighted the UAE's work in strengthening information security through its 'Cyber Pulse' program.

Statistics:

  • The UAE has been a key player in international counter-terrorism efforts, with its delegation engaging with 15 other UN Member States and international partners during CT Week.
  • The UN Security Council has adopted a total of 20 resolutions on counter-terrorism since 2006, with the latest resolution co-penned by the UAE and the United Kingdom.
  • The UAE's Cyber Security Council has been working to strengthen information security, with its 'Cyber Pulse' program raising awareness of cyber threats and increasing digital security.

Sources:

  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
  • United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week
  • United Nations Security Council
  • Conflict Armament Research
  • Cyber Security Council of the United Arab Emirates