The war against terrorism received a boost when the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) opened a new Programme Office in Nairobi, Kenya.
Officials said the programme launched on Wednesday will support countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism.
The launch event was held in coordination with Kenya at the United Nations Office of Nairobi (UNON) and gathered government representatives from Kenya and countries in the region, the diplomatic community, and global, regional and national partners.
The new Programme Office will enable UNOCT to provide real-time support to the Member States and other stakeholders in East Africa and the Horn of Africa as they work to deliver on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS).
The GCTS provides a unique and comprehensive framework to strengthen national, regional and international efforts to counter-terrorism.
In addition to the Programme Office in Nairobi, UNOCT maintains a field presence in 12 other locations across the globe to work closely with beneficiaries and partners on the ground and provide more targeted and cost-effective support to the respective regions.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi who was a keynote speaker at the launch in the UN complex, Gigigiri hailed the premier regional office as a pragmatic appreciation of Kenya’s strategic location and its history in fighting terror.
“The new office will offer East African regional member countries collaborations and partnerships in combating the al-Shabaab and other terror groups in the region,” he said.
He added it will also coordinate the training and capacity-building of security agencies in modern counter-terrorism strategies.
Matiang’i said with the opening of the programme, Kenya and her counterparts in the region will benefit from targeted and cost-effective support in curbing violent extremist ideologies.
“Terrorism is a global challenge, the programme is timely in fostering collaboration among member states, civil society and organizations within the region to improve investigative and preventive strategies.”
Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Amb. Martin Kimani argued when terrorists boast they have the time to outlast the government’s efforts against them they are wrong.
“By the UN embedding our efforts in global governance and values, countering terrorism can last generations if needed.”
Kenya has been a victim of regional terrorism. Al-Shabaab and its remnants have been spreading their wings to regional countries like Mozambique and DRC.
Kenyan troops are among those in Somalia and DRC to help fight the terror group’s activities for regional stability.
The terrorists keep attacking crucial sites and people leaving a trail of deaths and destructions.
