Acting on a proposal developed by its Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Security Council on 24 May 2017 adopted a resolution on countering terrorist narratives. Adopted unanimously, Security Council resolution 2354 (2017) features a new framework including concrete guidelines that the Council urges Member States to follow, thereby amplifying positive and credible alternatives to audiences vulnerable to extremist messages.
Through the resolution, which was co-sponsored by close to 60 delegations, the Council welcomed the Committee’s “Comprehensive international framework to counter terrorist narratives” (S/2017/375), which had been submitted shortly before. While urging Member States to follow the guidelines outlined in the text, they were also called upon to respect the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, including respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of all States.
“What we’re doing today is not simply adopting another document to join the pile” of those already adopted by the Council, said H.E. Ambassador Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations and Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), underscoring a number of concrete recommendations included in the text.
Noting that Member States themselves bore the primary responsibility in countering terrorist acts and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, the Council encouraged greater coordination and coherence with donors and recipients of counter-terrorism capacity-building. In addition, counter-narrative measures needed to be tailored to the specific circumstances of different contexts. States should further consider undertaking efforts aimed at raising public awareness on the issue, amplifying positive counter-narratives and continuing research into the drivers of terrorism and violent extremism.
The resolution directs the Counter-Terrorism Committee, supported by its Executive Directorate (CTED), to facilitate international cooperation to implement the comprehensive international framework. It further requests CTC to develop initiatives to strengthen public-private partnerships in countering terrorist narratives.
Security Council resolution 2354 (2017) can be found .