Cooperation key to progress

Although terrorism is a global threat, it is mostly the developing countries that are at the forefront of this war, and the economies of many of these countries are increasingly facing unprecedented challenges, as the financial cost of combating terrorism is hindering the ability to efficiently utilize their limited economic resources in promoting sustainable growth, job opportunities and social inclusion, thereby hindering the processes which these countries have committed to undertake to avail, safeguard and advance the UN Right to Development for their societies at large.

The global threat of terrorism emphasizes the need for more effective global actions to invest in the resilience of our societies, through agile and robust development cooperation that focuses on investment in human capital and empowers developing countries to effectively deliver more efficiently basic social services for the people, including healthcare and education.

This much needed cooperation, involving developed partners, multilateral development banks and international financial institutions, and considerably contributing to the right to development, is an essential ingredient, not only in our fight against terrorism, but also in enhancing our capacity to address other globally daunting challenges, such as climate change, natural disaster risks and increasing inequalities.

Hisham El-Zimaity, a board member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs