The General Assembly, with overwhelming support, has once again called for the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) proposed by India. The Ninth Review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy received 140 votes in favor, with only three against, emphasizing the importance of adopting the CCIT after it has been pending for 31 years.
India’s Permanent Representative P. Harish highlighted the necessity of a universally agreed legal framework to combat terrorism effectively. He emphasized the need for international cooperation without double standards or distinctions between different types of terrorists. Harish urged the international community to reject any form of terrorism unequivocally, emphasizing the importance of holding perpetrators and sponsors of terrorism accountable.
Harish stressed the significance of the CCIT in addressing normative gaps, enhancing prosecution and extradition processes, and preventing terrorists and their supporters from accessing safe havens, funds, and weapons. He called for a demonstration of political will to finalize the CCIT, underscoring its crucial role in combating terrorism globally.
The General Assembly has historically endorsed editions of the GCTS to combat terrorism, but this time, the US, along with Israel and Argentina, voted against it, criticizing the strategy as outdated and lacking focus. Despite some countries abstaining or not taking a position during the vote, Harish emphasized the need for a universal approach in countering prejudice across all faiths, not just limited to Abrahamic religions.
