NAIROBI, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The inaugural African regional high-level conference on countering terrorism ended on Thursday with the adoption of resolutions to revitalize the war against a vice that threatens the continent's economic progress and stability.
Some 1,500 delegates from African Union members, multilateral organizations, civil society and academia attended the July 10-11 forum, discussing new strategies against terrorism and violent extremism in the world's second largest continent.
Fred Matiang'i, cabinet secretary for Kenya's Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, in his closing remarks, urged African countries to unite and root out terrorist networks, their sympathizers and financiers.
"Africa has been a victim of terrorism that is opposed to our democracy, development and stability," said Matiang'i.
"We must increase our commitment to combat ideologies that support or justify terrorism and rally behind alternative narratives that stand in opposition to hateful and divisive ideas," he said.
The meeting brought together heads of government and ministers of interior, security and foreign affairs, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and representatives of other international organizations and leading think tanks.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and the chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, attended the opening ceremony of the conference, where they renewed the call for solidarity against terrorism.
The gathering, organized by the UN and the Kenyan government, proposed the establishment of well-funded and homegrown programs to boost the war against militancy and radicalization in Africa.
Vladimir Voronkov, under-secretary-general of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office, said the international community will rally behind African-led and owned initiatives to eradicate a menace that has gained ground against a backdrop of poverty, conflicts and high youth unemployment.
"The regional conference will be a key part of a broader initiative to give new momentum to multilateral cooperation to address the evolving threat of terrorism and violent extremism," Voronkov said.
He said the outcome of the Nairobi forum will be shared at the high-level conference on counter-terrorism to be held in New York in June 2020.
