UN briefing highlights new counterterrorism priorities and rights-based approach

At a regular United Nations press briefing, a UN staff member read the Secretary-General's address to the fourth high-level counterterrorism conference, saying the meeting comes amid "a moment of acute instability" and marks the 20th anniversary of the UN global counterterrorism strategy.

The staff member quoted the Secretary-General as laying out four priorities'prevention, cooperation, technologies and values'and said the Secretary-General urged member states to keep responses "firmly grounded in the rule of law and in human rights." The readout emphasized that "terrorism is evolving, the Secretary-General said, and so must we. Through prevention, through cooperation, and through unwavering commitments to human rights, we can build a safer world where people everywhere live free from fear."

The briefing framed the conference as an opportunity to assess progress and strengthen commitments, noting that the Secretary-General called for international cooperation on new technologies while safeguarding rights. The staff member said the full text of the Secretary-General's remarks had been shared with delegations.

The press officer's remarks were followed by a question about whether counterterrorism can be used for political ends in South Asia; the staff member reiterated the Secretary-General's line that counterterrorism efforts must operate within the rule of law and protect human rights.

The briefing closed this topic by pointing to follow-up work at the UN to monitor implementation of commitments announced at the conference.