UN chief urges prevention, rights-based approach as terrorist threats evolve

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for a renewed global commitment to preventing terrorism by addressing its root causes, warning that growing global instability is creating fertile ground for extremist groups.

Delivering the keynote address at the Fourth High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies at UN headquarters in New York, Guterres said the world is confronting a convergence of crises, including armed conflicts, climate pressures, economic hardship, and mass displacement, that are increasing vulnerabilities to terrorism.

"We meet at a moment of acute instability," Guterres told delegates. "These conditions—of want, of fragility, of mistrust—are ideal circumstances for terror to thrive."

Guterres said affiliates of al-Qaida, ISIS (Daesh), and other terrorist organizations continue to operate across Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, while violent extremist ideologies rooted in xenophobia, racism, intolerance, or distorted religious beliefs also pose significant domestic threats in many countries.

He warned that terrorist groups are rapidly adapting to technological advances, using artificial intelligence, digital platforms, criminal financial networks, and unmanned aerial systems to recruit followers, raise funds, and carry out attacks.

At the same time, Guterres stressed that emerging technologies can strengthen counter-terrorism efforts by improving early threat detection, disrupting illicit financial flows, and enhancing understanding of pathways to radicalization.

The address coincided with the 20th anniversary of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which Guterres described as the international community's shared framework for combating terrorism.

'TERRORISM IS EVOLVING, AND SO MUST WE'

Outlining four priorities for the years ahead, Guterres placed prevention first, arguing that governments must address poverty, discrimination, exclusion, and human rights violations that terrorist organizations exploit for recruitment.

"These wrongs do not justify terrorism. Nothing can," he said. "But they can create vulnerabilities that terrorist groups are quick to exploit."

He called for expanded economic opportunities, greater inclusion of minorities, stronger participation by women and young people, support for local peacebuilding initiatives, and protection of civic space, arguing that "a more equal world is a safer world."

The secretary-general also emphasized the importance of international cooperation, saying no country can tackle terrorism alone.

"Terrorism is a transnational threat, and no nation can address it alone," he said.

Beyond collaboration among governments, he highlighted the role of civil society organizations, youth groups, victims and survivors of terrorism, and the private sector in countering extremist narratives and protecting technologies from misuse.

Guterres underlined the importance of upholding fundamental values while confronting terrorism.

He cautioned that "heavy-handed or inappropriate" counter-terrorism measures can deepen divisions, erode trust in public institutions, and even contribute to further radicalization.

"Our response must be rooted in the very principles terror seeks to destroy: justice, human dignity, and solidarity," he said.

He urged member states to ensure that all counter-terrorism efforts remain firmly grounded in the rule of law and respect for human rights, with meaningful engagement of communities affected by terrorism.

"Terrorism is evolving, and so must we," Guterres concluded. "Through prevention, cooperation, and unwavering commitment to human rights, we can build a safer world, where people everywhere live free from fear."