The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, stressed on Monday 28 June, at the ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition against Da’esh, the importance of stabilising and rebuilding the areas that have been controlled by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, so that the organisation does not return.
“The job is not yet finished in Iraq and Syria, where the core of Da’esh is still active, even if gone largely underground. Stabilisation and reconstruction are key to prevent its resurgence”.
The High Representative also warned of the growing influence of Da’esh in areas already made vulnerable by conflict, including West Africa and Mozambique, adding that the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on local economies also created new opportunities for Da’esh to exploit.
He welcomed the Coalition’s role in the Sahel region, which he said should be played in close coordination with international efforts in the framework of the Coalition for the Sahel.
“Two years after the defeat of Da’esh by Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, it is clear that there is still much work to do”, Borrell said, promising that the EU would continue to play its part. He noted that “collective action remains crucial to ensure sustainable progress”.
See the Coalition’s statement: https://bit.ly/3dq3MiO (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)