UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact

The United Nations has launched the  a new framework, ‘UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact’ to combat international terrorism and coordinate efforts across the peace and security, humanitarian, human rights and sustainable development sectors.

UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact

• UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact is an agreement between the UN chief, 36 organizational entities, the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) and the World Customs Organisation.
• The objective of the new framework is to better serve the needs of member States when it comes to tackling the scourge of international terrorism.
• It provides for a solid framework for joint action and also calls upon all States to respect international humanitarian and human rights law.
• The UN coordination committee Under-Secretary-General for counter-terrorism will oversee the implementation of the compact.

Why there was a need for the new framework?

• Terrorism has become a global menace and there is a need to ensure global cooperation for upholding human right standards and rule of law in countering terrorism.
• Despite successes against the ISIS and its affiliates, the threat posed by returning and relocating fighters, as well as from individuals inspired by their ideology, remains high and has a global reach.
• The data from the Global Terrorism Index shows that despite a 27 per cent fall in the number of deaths from acts of terrorism worldwide, the impact of terrorism remains widespread with 67 countries experiencing deadly attacks.
• The world is facing a twin challenge. On one hand terrorist organization like Da’esh and Al Qaida are continuing to twist religion to serve their ends. On the other neo-Nazi and far right groups are also using the internet as a platform to mobilize support across borders, exploit economic anxieties, radicalize, recruit and carry out attacks. Countering this dichotomy requires global cooperation.

Global Terrorism Index 2018

The Global Terrorism Index is prepared by the Institute for Economics & Peace. The index defines terrorism as “the threatened or actual use of illegal force and violence by a non-state actor to attain a political, economic, religious, or social goal through fear, coercion, or intimidation”. The findings of the index are:

• Deaths from terrorism have declined in 2017 for the third straight year. But on the other hand far-right extremism was on the rise. Deaths due to terrorism has decreased by 27% worldwide last year
• The index traced 163 countries. Ninety-six countries saw an improvement; 46 had declines. Sixty-seven countries had at least one death from terrorism in 2017. This a drop from 2016’s record high rate of 79 countries.
• There was a sharp decline (52%) in the number of deaths resulting from the terrorist attacks attributed to ISIS.
• Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, Pakistan, Egypt, Congo, the Central African Republic and India are among the top 10 nations affected by terrorism.
• ISIS was still the deadliest terrorist group globally in 2017.
• There was a 75% decrease in the number of deaths due to terrorism in Europe. This is due to ISIS losing its attractiveness due to its military defeats and weakened capabilities to mount attacks in Europe, Increases in counter-terrorism funding, and better surveillance techniques.
• The estimated financial impact of terrorism in 2017 was $52 billion and the true economic impact is likely to be much higher.

The UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Task Force will replace the existing Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force established in 2005 to strengthen UN system-wide coordination and coherence of counter-terrorism efforts.