NEW YORK: Terrorism and extremism remain as serious threats to world peace and security, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) chair to the UN Security Council stated.

Speaking late Tuesday at the Security Council's open debate on 'Regional Organization and Challenges of Global Security,' the chair of the OIC group, Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the UN, Ambassador Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi affirmed that every nation is more or less susceptible to the growing threat of terrorism, adding that a comprehensive and concerted response to terrorism very much needed. However, Otaibi stressed that there seems to be fundamental differences within the international community on how to handle the issue of terrorism.

On behalf of the OIC, Ambassador Otaibi said the organization "is committed to fighting terrorism and countering violent extremism." To that effect, the OIC works toward delegitimizing violent extremist ideology, developing counter narratives to such extreme ideologies and propaganda, providing appropriate pathways to vulnerable groups, especially youth and women, elevating credible and authentic religious voices that support tolerance and non-violence, as well as countering use of cyberspace including social media by extremist groups.

Emergency session

Furthermore, the senior diplomat highlighted the role played by the OIC towards countering terrorism, where he recalled the OIC's Ministerial Executive Committee emergency session on February 15th, 2015, reviewing and invigorating its actions against terrorism and violent extremism. He also recalled the expert level workshop held by the General Secretariat in May fifth, on countering threats of terrorism and extremism on cyberspace implementing one of its deliverables.

Nevertheless, Otaibi said on May 27th, the 42nd Council of OIC Foreign Ministers had a special brainstorming session in Kuwait, focused on developing an "Effective Strategy to Combat Terrorism, Violent Extremism and Islamophobia", thus strengthening the OIC's commitment in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

The OIC member states, he said, will deliberate on and consider a proposal for establishing an OIC Fund to combat terrorism. In addition, the OIC General Secretariat will organize an Intergovernmental Expert Group Meeting to finalize the strategy to combat terrorism and violent extremism at the cyber space. The OIC remains an important partner of the UN in peace, security and the fostering of a culture of peace at the global level, he told the Council.

"The OIC stands ready to make meaningful contributions to the aforementioned initiatives, and reiterates its cooperation to working with the United Nations in conflict prevention and resolution, mediation, peacekeeping and peace building, promotion of good governance at the national and international levels, combating international terrorism, fighting extremism, countering religious intolerance, including Islamophobia, promoting and protecting all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, humanitarian assistance and capacity-building," he concluded. - KUNA