21.01.25 Statement by Denmark at the Security Council Open Debate on Countering terrorism in Africa

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Thank you, Mr. President,

Let me start by thanking Algeria for convening this meeting on such an urgent topic.  

Algeria has long played a leading role in the fight against terrorism, including as an African Union champion.

Minister Attaf, Denmark commends your leadership.

I also thank Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed, Ambassador Bankole, and Mr. Djinnit for their briefings.

Mr. President,

Terrorism represents one of the gravest threats facing the international community. Its reach is global and our collective security is at risk. It not only threatens stability and sustainable development, but the lives of millions around the world. 

In Africa, terrorist activities are expanding. From the Sahel, to the Great Lakes region to the Horn of Africa, millions of innocent civilians are suffering at the hands of this deadly scourge.

The Sahel region is now home to some of the most violent terror groups in operation; accounting for almost half of all deaths from terrorism globally – as we have heard several times today.

In other conflict-affected areas, terrorists exploit the absence of state presence to both embed and spread. The implications of these safe havens do not stop at national borders. They stretch far beyond the shores of Africa, undermining the global fight against terror.

Colleagues,

Terrorism in Africa is therefore not only a matter for African states. It concerns us all, not least this Council.

Mr. President, allow me to highlight three core points.

First, unless we address the root causes of terrorism, we resign ourselves to addressing the same security challenges over and over again.

Preventive action is the most effective action. That means taking a cross-sectoral and whole-of-society approach.

It means including and harnessing the potential of women, young people and marginalised groups.

It means disrupting a rigid, often male-dominated, militarized and over-securitised, status quo.

It also means addressing the negative consequences of climate change leading to vulnerabilities and grievances. 

Put simply, it means investing in peace.  

Socio-economic development and security initiatives in Africa must go hand in hand. Such actions will support the achievement of the AU’s Silencing the Guns initiative and the broader Agenda 2063, which we believe will contribute enormously to countering violent extremism.

The UN and the AU, through the Joint Framework have an important role to play. We see scope for enhanced collaboration, including through Resolution 2719, which, we believe is an important instrument to support more financially sustainable and robust peace support operations.

Mr. President, my second point,

Comprehensive strategies and approaches matter. But they are not an end in themselves. Guidelines do not stop terrorists if they remain on the page. We must keep our overarching goal of real-world impact front of mind at all times.

In this regard, Denmark welcomes the forthcoming AU Continental Strategic Plan of Action to effectively fight against Terrorism across Africa. This will be an important instrument to operationalise the vision of the 2022 Extraordinary Malabo Summit on Terrorism. We look forward to its effective implementation.

Adapting to the cross-border nature of this threat is key to combatting it. Africa has a strong network of regional and subregional organisations. They can and should play a critical role.

This goes for the African Union, ECOWAS and others. It also goes for initiatives such as the Accra Initiative and the Nouakchott process.

Similarly, there is a need for increased information sharing and collaboration among governments and security actors.

Mr. President, my third point,

Effective counter-terrorism measures and the protection of human rights are not conflicting goals, but complementary and mutually reinforcing.

To be clear: It is in the national security interest of all of us to tackle terrorism in a manner consistent with International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. Sitting at this table, it is up to us to show that this is not just rhetoric.

Counter-terrorism measures must never be used as a coercive political tool to repress the human rights and freedoms of political dissidents or to shrink civic space. Nor can we accept that counter-terrorism operations become an arbitrary obstacle for the delivery of humanitarian aid, or lead to the criminalisation of aid.

Mr. President, to conclude.

This Council’s response to terror attacks follow a familiar pattern. We condemn, we console, we offer our solidarity. That is important. But it is not enough.

Holistic approaches and strengthened partnerships are needed to prevent and to counter the spread of terrorism. That is true for Africa and across the globe. 

Fighting terrorism in Africa and addressing its root causes are priorities for Denmark.

Our commitment is steadfast.

We will continue to support our African partners politically, financially, and operationally through capacity building and information sharing.

We will not relent until the threat of terror is eradicated.

Thank you

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