Checked Against Delivery
Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you also to the briefers for their presentations.
Colleagues, today, we remember.
We remember that twenty-five years ago, on a beautiful and sunny September morning, an act of terrorism took nearly three thousand lives, from more than 90 countries, in New York, Washington D.C. area and Pennsylvania.
It was an act unparalleled in its destruction. Unprecedented in its method. On a scale not seen since. Thousands of families live today with its loss. Denmark pays tribute to them and to all other victims of terrorism.
The consequences of these heinous attacks were numerous, and in many ways, we still live with them today. The attacks also had a profound impact on this Council. In the work we do, the resolutions we adopt, and the responsibilities we carry.
Today is a fitting moment to ask, honestly, where we stand.
Despite decades of international efforts, terrorism has not been defeated. It has evolved.
Sustained pressure has weakened terrorist groups such as ISIL, Al-Qaida and their affiliates. But these networks persist and adapt. From the Sahel to the Horn of Africa. From Syria to Afghanistan. The threat today looks different from 2001. But it is no less real. And no less urgent.
Allow me to raise three points.
First, Denmark supports stronger focus on implementation.
As others have noted, this year marks 25 years since the adoption of the landmark resolution 1373 on counter-terrorism. Twenty-five years of subsequent resolutions and frameworks have given us the tools. What we need now is to use them fully.
The Counter-Terrorism Committee is central to that effort. Denmark reaffirms its full support for the Committee's mandate and CTED’s work in identifying gaps and delivering assistance.
Second, Mr. President, on the evolving threat from terrorism.
Terrorist groups have adapted faster than many of our institutions and their increasing misuse of technology is alarming. They recruit online. They are financed through cryptocurrencies. They fly drones. They exploit AI to spread propaganda and plan attacks. If they can adapt this quickly, so must we.
Denmark calls for counter-terrorism tools that keep pace, including sanctions, financial safeguards and digital cooperation. This is not a technical footnote. It is central to the effectiveness of our response.
This applies equally to this Council. Denmark underscores the importance of a 1267 sanctions regime that reflects reality on the ground. Including through increased listings. So that the ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List tracks today's terrorist leadership, not yesterday’s. A listing regime that falls behind the threat loses its effect. Keeping it current, evidence-based, and fairly applied is itself part of a holistic response.
Third, on our approach.
Denmark’s stance is clear: An effective response against terrorism must go beyond security measures. The rule of law, inclusive and meaningful participation of all stakeholders, and human rights are not obstacles to counter-terrorism, they are its very foundation.
A comprehensive approach pairs strong security measures with prevention, within institutions that promote justice and accountability. Meaningful cooperation with local actors, youth, and civil society are vital to sustainable success.
Mr. President, in closing.
Twenty-five years is long enough to know that terrorism will keep adapting. It is also long enough to learn which approaches are effective.
Implementation over declaration. Principle alongside security. People at the centre of both.
The promise this Council made after 9/11 was not only to fight terrorism. It was to do it in a way that protects the rights and dignity we were defending in the first place.
That promise still holds today. It is our responsibility to keep it. And by that, we honour the victims of that haunted September morning.
We will never forget.
I thank you.
