February 10, 2025
Thank you, President. And since this is my first time sitting with you in this Council, I’d just like to congratulate you on your presidency, and again, acknowledge and thank Algeria for your leadership last month. Thank you, Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and Executive Director Natalia Gherman for your joint preparation of the twentieth ISIL report and for your briefings.
Countering ISIS and other terrorist groups around the world is a top priority for the Trump Administration. President Trump has already taken decisive action in conjunction with the Somali government by directing precision airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia on February 1st.
President Trump’s message is clear: The United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies.
ISIS has expanded the frequency and lethality of its attacks in the Sahel, making this region the global epicenter for fatalities from terrorist attacks. As such, ISIS-Somalia, ISIS-Sahel, and ISIS-West Africa collectively pose a significant threat to stability and prosperity in Africa.
As the Secretary-General’s report highlights, ISIS affiliates in Central Asia, most notably ISIS-Khorasan, also pose a significant global threat. We remain concerned about ISIS-K’s capabilities to plot and conduct attacks, as well as sustain recruitment campaigns, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
We are also watching closely the situation in Syria. The United States wants stability and security in the region, and we want a Syria that lives in peace with its neighbors, respects human rights, and prohibits terrorists from using its country as a safe haven.
The United States urges Member States to repatriate expeditiously and prosecute as appropriate their foreign terrorist fighter nationals currently in northeast Syrian detention facilities. These individuals must not be allowed to replenish ISIS’s ranks.
The United States is committed to preventing Syria from being used as a base for ISIS, Iranian-backed terrorism, or other terrorist groups that threaten the region. The complete and verifiable destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons program is vital to regional security and stability, and ensuring these weapons are not used for terrorism.
Accountability for terrorist attacks and other terrorist activity is key to the fight against terrorism and to deterring such acts from taking place in the future. In that vein, we urge the members of this Council to take action and agree to list more ISIL and al-Qa’ida affiliates in the 1267 Sanctions Committee, so that they will be subject to a worldwide asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo.
Further, we encourage Member States to play an active and timely role in updating and implementing UN 1267 sanctions to counter ISIS and al-Qa’ida.
Money is the lifeblood of terrorists. We must bolster our collective efforts to stem the flow of funds to terrorists and terrorist groups.
Finally, as the Secretary-General correctly notes, Member States’ efforts to counter terrorism must expand beyond security-centered approaches and include comprehensive efforts to prevent and deter emerging terrorist threats.
The measures Member States take to counter this grave threat to international peace and security must be in line with the rule of law, respect human rights, and not be used as a pretext to silence political dissent.
I thank you.