We must keep up the pressure on Daesh, wherever its poisonous influence spreads
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab's speech at the Global Coalition against Daesh ministerial meeting in Rome on 28 June 2021.
May I start by thanking our hosts, Minister Di Maio and Secretary Blinken.
Friends, let’s make no mistake, the threat from Daesh remains. The UK remains absolutely committed to its permanent defeat, working as part of the Global Coalition and NATO, and in partnership with the sovereign government of Iraq.
I visited Iraq earlier this month, and met with Prime Minister Kadhimi and Foreign Minister Hussein and others. And I set out our unwavering commitment to the country.
We are concerned about the fragility of the security situation in Iraq. It must not again be allowed to become a launch-pad for terrorist groups. With the elections in October, this is a crossroads moment for the country – we must support it at this historic juncture, to set it down a path to security, economic prosperity and rejuvenation.
In Syria, the deteriorating conditions in camps and detention centres in the north east represent a growing threat to security. With that in mind, I am pleased to announce that in addition to our existing stabilisation commitment to Iraq and north east Syria, we are contributing £2.6 million of new UK funding. This will help prevent violent extremism in north east Syria, in support of the Coalition’s Stabilisation Pledge.
The UK will maintain troops deployed in support of operations in Syria and Iraq. We will continue to support stabilisation, and we will continue to lead Coalition efforts to puncture and disrupt Daesh propaganda, undermining their efforts to recruit and incite attacks.
In Africa, we have helped lead the Coalition’s work in developing an Africa Communications Framework, with an initial focus on countering Daesh propaganda in West Africa.
Humanitarian relief and developmental assistance in the region plays an important role in supporting those impacted by extremism. So I’m pleased to announce that we are putting an extra £12.6 million of new funding from our Conflict, Stability and Security Fund in to support efforts in the Lake Chad Basin region. This will support regional military forces tackling the threat posed by terrorist groups, including demobilisation, de-radicalisation and reintegration of low-level ex-members of terrorist groups.
We must keep up the pressure on Daesh, wherever its poisonous influence spreads. And you can count on the UK’s total commitment to that objective.
Thank you.