NEW YORK, United Nations Headquarters
From 26 June to 2 July, UNRCCA participated in the Fourth Counter-Terrorism Week at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Held under the theme, “A Future Free from Terrorism: Consolidating the Global Commitment to Multi-Stakeholder Approaches to Counter-Terrorism through Member States’ Leadership and Action,” the event brought together more than one thousand participants from 119 countries, both in person and online. Among them were delegations from all five Central Asian states, represented by government officials and civil society organizations.
In addition to participating in the High-Level Conference, UNRCCA, together with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and other partners, co-organized several side events. One of these, “Central Asian Experience on the Prosecution, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Returnees from Conflict Zones,” provided a platform for the Central Asian states to present their national approaches, including operational planning, legal and security screening, psychosocial and medical support, restoration of civil documentation, and access to education. The event offered an opportunity to share these experiences with other UN Member States facing similar tasks. Representatives of UN entities and regional partners highlighted international standards, capacity-building initiatives, and regional cooperation efforts supporting these processes.
Another side event co-organized by UNRCCA focused on cooperation between the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO RATS), and the Commonwealth of Independent States Anti-Terrorism Center (CIS ATC) in addressing evolving security challenges in Central Asia. The discussion provided an overview of existing cooperation mechanisms under different initiatives, explored opportunities to further strengthen collaboration, and facilitated the exchange of good practices, including promoting approaches consistent with international law, human rights, and the rule of law.
In addition, UNRCCA attended several other side events of relevance to Central Asia, such as discussions on national and regional counter-terrorism strategies, as well as approaches to preventing and countering violent extremism, including radicalization and incitement to violence conducive to terrorism.
