Holistic approach vital in combating terrorism, says FM at anti-Daesh coalition meet

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi on Tuesday attended the virtual meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh Small Group.

The meeting, co-hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmès, was attended by foreign ministers of 30 countries.

Attendees also included Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock.

During his participation, Safadi warned against the lingering threat of terrorism and called for the continuation of exerting efforts to combat terrorism using a holistic approach that targets terrorists wherever they are and in whatever form of terrorism they resort to.

He also lauded the role and achievements of the US-led global coalition in defeating Daesh. 

Quoting His Majesty King Abdullah, Safadi said that “Daesh was defeated but not destroyed”, adding that “its security threat remains potent” with a challenging ideology that breeds hatred at all times.

He pointed to the attempts of Daesh and Al Qaeda to resurface and rebuild their capabilities in Syria and Iraq, highlighting the existence of other active terrorist organisations in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere.

He also pointed to the online spread of radicalisation as another point of concern.

He described working jointly as a pressing need, as evident by Daesh’s previous ability to rule over thousands of kilometres and persecute millions of people, calling for the “need to maintain military pressure on Daesh enclaves and to prevent them from regrouping”.

Mitigating the growing security threats necessitates cooperation in the field of intelligence, he stressed.

During the meeting, in which the prime minister of Iraq participated through a recorded speech, Safadi stressed the need to “consolidate the victory Iraq achieved against Daesh” and offer support for the Iraqi government in its journey of rebuilding and stabilising the country.

Safadi encouraged participants to “count on Jordan’s unwavering commitment” to defend people, serve common interests and shared humanity.