“As for capacity-building, Zambia intends to continue increasing its capacity to deal with threats of terrorism in collaboration with other institutions, such as the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force,” Ambassador Dr Kasese-Bota said in the General Assembly during the third review of the UN Global Counter-terrorism strategy.

Ambassador Dr Kasese-Bota said that Zambia, as a member of the Eastern and Southern African Anti Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG), was actively taking steps to address the various challenges that the country faces in relation to the prevention and combating of terrorism.

The Ambassador assured that Zambia would pursue a foreign policy based on mutuality of common interest and respect including the fight against terrorism.
She said Zambia approved the recommendation to appoint a Counter Terrorism
Coordinator.

She said the appointment of a Counter Terrorism Coordinator would ensure that the strategy and activities of the United Nations, with regard to preventing and combating terrorism, were more effectively managed and implemented.

The Ambassador told the General Assembly that Zambia was looking at improvements in science and technology in order to develop the energy, mining, and eco-tourism sectors, while preserving the environment.

“The Zambian Government has also taken cognizance of the fact that bad governance can lead to terrorism. In this vein, there are reforms in the media, public service, judicial, constitutional and electoral areas as well as general legislation being implemented in order to promote good governance,” Ambassador Dr Kasese-Bota said. “In the meantime, the Government has cultivated mutual partnership with the private sector and civic organizations including religious institutions to promote dialogue on matters of common
interest such as the threat of terrorism.”

UN General Assembly president Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser said: “Only through strong political will, and by implementation and delivery, can we realize our hopes of a world free of terrorism.”

The UN General Assembly in September 2006 adopted the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is based on four pillars namely tackling the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism; preventing and combating terrorism; building States’ capacity to prevent and combat terrorism and to strengthen the role of the UN system in that regard, ensuring respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism.

This is according to a statement issued by Zambia’s First Secretary for Press
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations, Chibaula Silwamba.