Intervention on behalf of Australia to the Ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition Against Daesh/ISIS

On behalf of the Government of Australia, I thank:

His Highness Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and

His Excellency Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, for hosting this Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat Da'esh/ISIS.

Australia is resolutely committed to the vital mission of the Global Coalition.

Da'esh and its affiliates continue to exploit existing conflict, political instability, and social and economic inequalities to incite and conduct terrorist attacks.

Regional instability and conflict provide fertile ground for terrorist organisations like Da'esh to operate.

Our targeted military support and humanitarian action in the Middle East recognise the need for collective responses. Since 2018 we have provided:

• over $24 million to UNDP's Funding Facility for Stabilization
• and $16 million to the UN Mine Action Service in Iraq.

Moreover, Australia has provided $525 million since 2011 in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and announced a further $31.5 million in assistance this financial year, recognising the need to continue efforts to resolve the conflict and establish enduring peace.

We welcome the Coalition's focus on the evolving Da'esh threat in Africa and support the objectives of the Africa Focus Group Plan.

In the last two years, Australia has invested more than AUD$7 million in counter terrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism programming efforts in Africa.

Recognising the serious threat posed by Da'esh-inspired terrorists in West Africa, Australia has invested over $5 million in the International Counterterrorism Academy in Cote d'Ivoire.

Last year, I visited the UN Programme Office for Counter-Terrorism and Training in Rabat, funded in part by Australia, which aims to strengthen the technical skills of law enforcement and counter-terrorism officials combatting terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel.

Resilient communities are critical to countering violent extremism.

Through the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, Australia supports national and local initiatives in Africa focussed on preventing and countering violent extremism.

That is why we have also funded groups such as the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund and the National Union of Somali Journalists, to support local partnerships implementing Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism activities in Kenya and Somalia.

Regrettably, the disturbing terrorism threat posed by Da'esh and affiliates, persists.

We remain firmly committed to working in tandem with members of the Coalition to effectively combat this persistent threat and maintain international pressure on Da'esh, to ensure its enduring and lasting defeat.