Statement by H.E. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations at the UN Security Council Briefing on “Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts”
New York, 4 February 2026
Mr. President,
Let me start by congratulating the United Kingdom upon assuming the Presidency of the Council for the month of February, and wish you success. I also wish to thank Somalia for their dedicated handling of the work of the Council last month.
I thank Acting Under-Secretary General Zouev and Executive Director Gherman for their briefings, and welcome the participation of the European Union’s Special Envoy for Counterterrorism to this meeting.
In light of the conclusion of Secretary General’s twenty second report, Latvia remains concerned about the persistent and dynamic threat that Da’esh and other terrorist groups pose to international peace and security in the Middle East, Sahel, Lake Chad basin, East Africa and elsewhere. Despite shifting territorial control and leadership setbacks, terrorist groups continue to adapt and retain operational capabilities. Especially concerning are increased operations of terrorist groups, including ISIL-K, in Afghanistan. When we recall the events that led to the creation of the UN counter-terrorism architecture more than 20 years ago, one should remain vigilant to not let history repeat itself.
Today, a key challenge is the growing activity of terrorist networks and operators in the digital space. It includes recruitment of cyber-experts in support of terrorist activities and experimenting with artificial intelligence for propaganda purposes. According to the recent UN reporting, terrorists and violent extremists are increasingly using online fora, including gaming platforms and social media. It is done for both direct engagement and indirect influence, including recruitment and propaganda. We believe the Council should request the 1267 Monitoring Team to submit a separate report to the Committee on the issue of radicalization of youth and minors.
Terrorist groups exploiting political instability and preying on socially vulnerable and marginalized groups underscores that we cannot fight terrorism and radicalization with force and security measures alone. Therefore, Latvia supports a comprehensive response, pairing counter-terrorism operations and security measures with prevention work. Countering radicalization requires investment in education, media literacy, economic opportunity, and community resilience. Meaningful cooperation between state authorities and community actors, like youth, civil society and religious leaders, is key. Any national and global effort to fight terrorism must be conducted with respect to human rights and in accordance with the rule of law.
Latvia believes in a risk-based approach to address threat of terrorism and violent extremism. Latvia focuses on prevention and strengthening national institutions’ capacity to address various terrorism threats. In 2025, Latvia was the first country assessed according to the revised FATF methodology. We have devised a robust system to counter and prevent financing of terrorism and money laundering.
Increased cooperation and technical assistance to improve the national capacity of countries especially exposed to terrorism threats is needed. Also, we need to effectively implement the UN resolutions imposing terrorism related sanctions, such as the travel ban, mitigating overall threats to national security. Every country should devise comprehensive national action plans according to their own threat exposure and needs.
Mr. President,
To conclude, we believe it is imperative for the international community to leverage all networks for cooperation in our shared effort to counter terrorism. We need to sustain pressure towards Da’esh and other terrorist groups to prevent radicalization, especially among youth and minors. Latvia remains committed to countering terrorism in all its forms and will continue working together with all partners to achieve this goal.
I thank you!