Statement by H.E. Ambassador ISHIKANE Kimihiro, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, at the Security Council Debate “Peace and security in Africa: countering terrorism and extremism in Africa”

Thank you, Mr. President.
 
Allow me to express my deep appreciation to you, Mr. President, for organizing this important debate and giving us an occasion to express our thoughts on this particular subject. It has been four years to the month since this Council learned of, and condemned, the deadly terrorist attack in Grand-Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire on 13 March 2016. Unfortunately, Council discussions of terrorism and violent extremism in Africa have become only more frequent since then.
                              
Naturally, we must respond to immediate security threats and urgent humanitarian needs, and we very much commend the efforts of member states and UN organs in this regard. But I think we must also maintain a broader focus if development for the better are to have permanence. What is more, the environment is rapidly changing, especially in the Sahel, and the linear model to peace and stability cannot keep pace. So today I would like to give particular focus on the vicious cycle that breeds terrorism and violent extremism in Africa and suggest three ways we could possibly break the cycle.
 
First, empowering local communities.
Terrorists and violent extremists thrive on the peripheral areas. They use the discontent of marginalized groups and claim the mantle of protecting the vulnerable. Very often it is local grievances that give terrorists a base of support. To mitigate these concerns, including a lack of security, justice, governance, and social services, we need a durable support system; that is community.
 
We believe that a human-centered approach by and for each individual is a game-changer to build resilience and achieve peace and stability in Africa. But this does not happen automatically; inclusive development remains essential even as we tackle immediate security and humanitarian concerns. 
 
 
 
Second, strengthening institutional capacity in order to reach local communities.
This is playing the long game: strong, trusted institutions, coupled with economic development, will prevent the resurgence of militancy tomorrow after today’s threats are defeated. Local communities can be a bulwark against violent extremism, but only if good security sector governance is firmly in place.
 
For this reason, Japan has put African-led capacity-building at the core of our engagement, particularly in the security and justice sector. Since 2008, we have collaborated with 14 African PKO training centers across the continent to strengthen regional multidimensional capabilities in AU/UN peacekeeping. This year, we are supporting African PKO training centers in nine African countries including Mali. We have also been supporting training programmes on Criminal Justice in French Speaking African Countries to build the capacity of police, public prosecutors, and judges through South-South cooperation.
We will continue to work with African countries and international partners within the framework of the “New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA) presented at TICAD7 last August.
                                            
Lastly, regional cooperation.
Though I have emphasized local communities today, the threat of terrorism itself is cross-border and transnational. UN cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations is an essential part of implementing the UN Global Counter Terrorism Strategy.
Japan commends the increased cooperation we have seen in recent years between the Security Council and the AU and its sub-regional organizations, and we will continue to cooperate with these collective efforts.
 
I thank you, Mr. President.