Secretary-General's remarks to the African Regional High-Level Conference on Counter Terrorism and Prevention of Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism.

Your Excellency, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta,

President of the Republic of Kenya,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thank the Government of Kenya for helping the United Nations organize this landmark conference.

To begin, I would like to honour the tens of thousands of African victims of terrorism and to express solidarity with African countries that have suffered terrorist attacks that shock with their barbarity and disregard for human life.

Kenya itself has endured numerous terrorist attacks.

This year alone, terrorists murdered 21 people in the Dusit hotel complex in Nairobi and, in Wajir County, eight police officers were killed and others injured when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

The threat of terrorism in Africa is spreading and destabilizing entire regions.

I am greatly concerned by the situation in the Sahel and increasing risks in West Africa.

Boko Haram and its splinter faction continue to terrorize local populations and attack security forces in northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin despite the considerable efforts of the Multinational Joint Task Force.

In Mali, terrorist groups have launched regular attacks against local and international security forces, including the Blue Helmets serving in MINUSMA.

The violence has spilled over into neighbouring countries, with an alarming number of recent attacks in Burkina Faso and Niger.

There is an urgent need for the international community to support Member States in this region to strengthen national capacities and resilience against terrorism.

The trauma from terrorism causes lasting damage to individuals, families and communities.

In Africa, as elsewhere, terrorists continue to use sexual violence to spread fear and assert control, and children are often forced to join terrorist groups as a matter of survival.

The people of Africa continue to show great courage and resilience in challenging those who seek to spread violence and hatred.

From working within their families and communities to prevent the spread of radicalisation and recruitment, to serving in AMISOM, MINUSMA, the G5 Sahel Joint Force, the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram and similar missions, the people of Africa are on the front line of efforts to tackle terrorism and the spread of violent extremism.

I deeply believe that African peace-enforcing and counter-terrorism operations must have strong and clear mandates by the UN Security Council backed by sufficient, predictable and sustainable financial support, namely through assessed contributions.

The determination of Africans to find solutions to the scourge of terrorism is clear.

And the role of women is inspirational in so many ways.

We have with us women from Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Tunisia and elsewhere.

All over the continent women are taking matters into their own hands, engaging with local leaders, mayors, young people, children and their fellow men, to fight against exclusion, marginalisation, inequality and abuse - the conditions that...