CAIRO, March 4 (MENA) - UN Under-Secretary- General of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov praised Egypt's efforts to fight terrorism. He said he came to Egypt to discuss one of the world's greatest challenges today – the scourge of terrorism. "The threat is of course not new, and Egypt has, unfortunately, a long and proven experience on the frontline of international efforts to combat terrorism," said Voronkov at a ceremony organised by the diplomatic club of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Saturday evening. He paid tribute to the courage and sacrifices of the Egyptian people who are showing determination and resilience. He also extended his heartfelt compassion and solidarity with the victims of terrorism in Egypt. "Nothing can ever justify terrorism. Terrorism is an affront to human dignity. The fight against terrorism should therefore bring us all together," he said as quoted by a press release today by the UN Information Center in Cairo. The fight against terrorism in Egypt, in Belgium, in Russia, in Indonesia, in Trinidad and Tobago or anywhere – should matter to everyone. No country can claim immunity, either from the threat itself and its potential proliferation – or from the devastating social, economic, cultural and humanitarian consequences of terrorism today, he said. Daesh has suffered a series of devastating military setbacks in Iraq, Syria and the southern Philippines. Yet, it is not the time for complacency. Daesh and its affiliates continue to pose a significant and evolving threat around the world, and so does Al Qaida and its affiliates, he added. Voronkov said terrorism remains an unprecedented threat to international peace, security and development. As conflicts have grown in intensity and number over the past decade, terrorist attacks have increased and spread, destroying societies and destabilizing entire regions. The threat from terrorism transcends cultures and geographical boundaries and should not be associated with any religion, nationality or ethnic group. The threat of terrorism is constantly evolving. We need to stay at least one step ahead to anticipate, prevent and counter new attacks. Terrorists are not sitting idle. They are actively on the look-out for the next blow they can inflict, the new opportunity they can exploit. New technologies in the areas of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, drones and the Internet have the potential to deliver great benefits to people around the world. However, the darker side of these technologies allows the most poisonous of ideas to flow encrypted across borders at the touch of a button or the tap of a tweet. We need to remain united and focused to counter these emerging threats.
