Hurdles in Counter-terrorism cooperation

In News 

Recently, India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar chaired a UN Security Council meeting that focused on terrorism.

Major Hurdles to better counterterrorism cooperation,

• State support for financing terror
• Multilateral mechanisms that are opaque and agenda-driven
  • Multilateral platforms are being misused to justify and protect perpetrators of terrorism,
• Double standards and politicisation of countering terrorism according to where terror groups belong, 
• “The threat of terrorism is transnational. Terrorist actors and their supporters, facilitators, and financiers collaborate while remaining in different jurisdictions to organise acts anywhere in the world. 
• The use of emerging technologies such as drones and virtual currency by terrorists.
  • The threat continues to grow because of the proliferation of digitalisation, new and emerging communications, and financing technologies has also increased the risk of these technologies being used by terrorist groups.
• Terrorists are “adapting opportunistically”,  They are resorting to illicit financing methods and other criminal activities, making it difficult to produce a coordinated international response. 
• The risk of radicalisation through the Internet and social media, and terror financing using cryptocurrencies and crowdfunding platforms, was heightened, particularly during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Impacts 

• Terrorism continues to present a serious threat to international peace and security, affecting many UN Member States, their populations, and socioeconomic development.
• Despite continuing leadership losses by Al-Qaida and Da’esh , terrorism, in general, has become more prevalent and more geographically widespread, affecting the lives of millions worldwide,
  • Their operations have also contributed to the deteriorating security situation in Central and Southern Africa, and elsewhere on the content. 
• Terrorist groups remain in Afghanistan, where they continue to pose serious threats to the region and beyond. 
• Terrorism is an existential threat to international peace and security and it knows no borders, nationality, or race.
• The terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001, were a turning point in the global approach to counter-terrorism.
  •  Since then, London, Mumbai, Paris, and many parts of West Asia and Africa have also experienced terrorist attacks,
• India as the world’s largest democracy, with one of the most open and diverse societies in the world, has been a victim of terrorism for decades.
  • For example 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.

Global Efforts 

• The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) was established on 15 June 2017 through the adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 71/291

India’s efforts in combating terrorism

• India has been at the forefront of global action against terrorism and has always played an active role in the global promotion and protection of human rights.

Suggestions and Way Forward 

• There is a need to promote and protect the rights of victims of terrorism, including women and children, and profound solidarity with them and with countries that have suffered terrorist attacks.
• The global threat posed by terrorism not only requires the UN Security Council’s continued attention but also a renewed collective approach
• A transnational threat can be defeated only by the collective efforts of all States Members of the United Nations
• Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations must be condemned. There cannot be an exception or justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of its motivation and wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed it. 
  • The era of classifying terrorists as “bad”, “not so bad” or “good” on the basis of political convenience must end immediately.”