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Mr President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, align themselves with this statement.

Allow me to congratulate Algeria on your presidency of the Security Council in January and let me express our appreciation for convening this debate today, which covers a topic of great importance to the European Union.

Terrorism is growing more rapidly in Africa than in any other region. We observe, with deep concern, the increasing number of attacks, the alarming rise in casualties, and the expanding reach of terrorist groups on the continent. This situation is compounded by conflict, inequality, climate change, unchecked arms flows, illicit human trafficking, and weak governance structures – factors that terrorist organisations exploit across porous borders and under-resourced security systems.

Adding to this crisis are the activities of external actors such as the Russia-controlled so-called “Africa Corps” (formerly known as Wagner Group). Operating under the guise of combatting terrorism, they commit gross human rights violations, spread disinformation, and aggravate ethnic tensions, ultimately serving the interests of Da’esh, al-Qaeda, and their affiliates.

Mr President,

I wish to highlight three key points:

First, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our African partners in the fight against terrorism. Alongside the substantial bilateral support of our Member States, the EU is the world’s leading humanitarian donor in Africa, and provides significant, multidimensional assistance to address the growing threat from terrorism and violent extremism, always underlining our collective commitment to uphold international law, including human rights and international humanitarian law.

Over the past three years, the EU has allocated more than 1 billion euro through the European Peace Facility to help the African Union and various African countries equip their security forces. Additionally, we have invested more than 600 million euro per year in nationally-owned programmes aimed at strengthening security forces, preventing radicalisation, and addressing the root causes of terrorism and violent extremism. Our training missions in Somalia and Mozambique, as well as targeted support to West African countries to counter terrorist spill-over from the Sahel, were also part of our unwavering engagement.

Second: We strongly believe in an inclusive approach led by our African partners to mitigate the terrorist threat on the continent. This involves disrupting terrorist recruitment and financing, and reinforcing judicial, law enforcement, and military capacities at national and regional levels.

But none of these efforts can succeed without addressing the root causes: Only by investing in education, promoting development, empowering the role of women, and strengthening civil society in its broadest sense can we fortify local communities against radicalisation. And let us be clear: Upholding human rights and the rule of law to their full extent is not a “luxury” when fighting terrorists, it is the surest way to defeat them. Indeed, with every attack, terrorists signal to us that it is precisely those human rights and those empowered individuals and institutions under the rule of law that they wish to target and to demolish. If we compromise these values in our response, we risk fuelling the very grievances that give rise to extremism and perpetuating a cycle of violence.

Third, unity and international cooperation are at the heart of our efforts. Together with Egypt, the EU co-chairs the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, where Africa remains the geographical priority. The GCTF has developed a set of recommendations on oversight and accountability to ensure public trust in, and enhance the effectiveness of counterterrorism measures.

By working closely with the United Nations, the Global Coalition against Daesh, and the African Union, we strive to strengthen institutions and build safer, more resilient societies across the continent.

Mr President,

The European Union is committed to maintaining its role as a reliable security partner for Africa. Together, as equal partners, we can unite our strength and resolve to build a future free from the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism.

I thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.