The Tenth Coordination Committee meeting of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact

The Tenth Coordination Committee meeting of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact (Counter-Terrorism Compact) commenced today, on 24 January 2024, in New York, in a hybrid format (in-person/virtual). The two-day meeting will focus on the Strategic Coordination of Counter-Terrorism Initiatives in Africa.

The first day of this high-level meeting began with a keynote address by the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, followed by a strategic discussion chaired by Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism and Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Compact, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov. The discussions centered on addressing the rising violence and continued expansion of terrorist and armed groups in various parts of Africa. Emphasis was also placed on aligning counter-terrorism efforts on the continent with the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and the African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

The President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Commission), the Director of the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism, and the Permanent Representatives of the State of Qatar, the Republic of Kenya and the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations addressed the terrorism landscape in Africa, highlighting key challenges and gaps in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in the continent.

This was followed by remarks from the Global Counterterrorism Forum, Women in International Security Horn of Africa, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, and 13 Counter-Terrorism Compact entities including UNODC, CTED, OHCHR, UN Women, UNDP, IOM, DPO, DPPA, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism, FATF, UNHCR, UNICRI and UNIDIR.  

The meeting also adopted the Counter-Terrorism Compact Joint Programme of Work (JPoW) for 2024-2026, which serves as a practical and results-based framework for the Coordination Committee in providing oversight and strategic guidance to the Counter-Terrorism Compact Working Groups for the implementation of the 8th review resolution of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

The meeting will continue tomorrow, 25 January 2024, with participation from Counter-Terrorism Compact Working Groups Chairs and principals or senior representatives from Counter-Terrorism Compact entities, regional organizations, civil society, and the private sector. The discussions will feature four sessions:

1. The counter-terrorism landscape in Africa;
2. Strengthening counter-terrorism coordination;
3. Engagement with regional organizations, civil society, and the private sector; and
4. Updates from the Compact Secretariat on key achievements and the way forward.