The Global Coalition’s Co-leads and Political Directors met in Paris on 24-25 June 2019.
“The fight against Daesh is not over.” That was the resounding message from senior decision makers when they met in Paris this week. It’s clear that the Coalition has achieved so much with its collective strength, not least liberating all of the territory once held by Daesh in Iraq and Syria. But it’s now time to look to the future and utilise our Coalition to tackle the evolving threat that Daesh continues to pose to the international community.
It was good to see the emergence of the ‘Paris Roadmap’ from these meetings. This sets out our vision for ensuring Daesh’s enduring defeat. The threat of Daesh is changing, and our Coalition has had to change with it. We know what we need to do.
- Tackle global networks and propaganda: We have amassed a huge amount of collective expertise which is helping dismantle terrorist networks and debunk terrorist propaganda. As Daesh desperately tries to remain relevant through claiming new affiliates and lashing out in new directions, we are continuing to use our united Coalition and its expertise to stand against this threat.
- Grow our membership: We welcomed Democratic Republic of Congo into our Coalition taking us to 80 international partners. Sri Lanka, Mali and Burkina Faso also came to observe our discussions; we will continue to share our expertise with the world, because Daesh represents a threat to all of us.
- Prevent resurgence & support stabilisation efforts: We are not being complacent and are continuing to support stabilisation efforts. Coalition partners have raised $20 billion to stabilise, rebuild and give vital humanitarian aid to Iraq and Syria. This funding will help rebuild homes, schools, hospitals and vital services, remove explosive devices that Daesh left behind, and create opportunities for generations to come.
The commitment shown by our 80 Coalition partners extends far beyond attending meetings. Not only has the Coalition liberated all of the territory once held by Daesh, we have also cut off funding supplies and shone a light on Daesh’s faulty ideology. We need to be frank and honest about the challenges on the ground, and that progress has been slower in some places than others.
Saying that, we have come a long way from when we began as a 12-member Coalition back in 2014. The work being done behind the scenes in capitals around the world just like Paris, and on the ground in Syria and Iraq, will have a long legacy. It will be adapted to meet other threats as they emerge, and has created a source of knowledge and expertise. It demonstrates the power of so many international partners coming together and working towards a common goal. This important work helps each and every one of us wherever we are in the world and protects our collective security.