Egypt Daily News – Dr. Badr Abdel Atti, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, chaired the fourteenth annual ministerial meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) in New York, alongside Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The meeting had the presence of Bankole Adeoye, the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union.
In a statement by the Ministry’s official spokesperson, Ambassador Tamim Khlaaf, it was highlighted that Minister Abdel Atti stressed the importance of learning from past mistakes that allowed terrorist organizations to flourish and create safe havens, leading to the ongoing challenge posed by foreign terrorist fighters.
He underscored the necessity for increased efforts to combat extremist ideologies, which provide a foundation for terrorist groups, and emphasized the need for fair resolutions to both regional and international conflicts that these groups exploit for recruitment.
This year’s forum focused on the theme “Combating Terrorism in Africa,” during which the Foreign Minister addressed the various terrorist threats facing the continent. He noted the evolving nature of these threats, the spread of extremist ideologies, and their implications for national security.
Despite some successes in combating terrorism on the continent, he pointed out that Africa continues to grapple with cross-border terrorism and the exploitation of security gaps that allow terrorist groups to establish bases.
Minister Abdel Atti detailed Egypt’s collaborative efforts with African nations to enhance their capabilities in fighting terrorism and extremist ideologies, promoting the concept of the nation-state.
This includes initiatives from the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding, as well as partnerships with the African Union and the contributions of Al-Azhar and the Egyptian Fatwa House in addressing extremist ideologies.
