Cities missing from twenty-year counter-terrorism review
As the UN marks two decades of its global counter-terrorism framework, analysts argue that municipal leaders remain largely excluded from high-level strategy discussions.
September marks the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. While the framework has stood as a comprehensive, human-rights-based approach for two decades, recent analysis suggests a significant disconnect between high-level policy and local reality. According to a report cited by GN geopolitics/terror, the strategy and the national frameworks it inspired have not fully adapted to an evolving threat landscape that increasingly involves urban centers.
Eric Rosand, Executive Director of the Strong Cities Network, notes that local governments remain consistently overlooked in international discussions regarding the prevention and response to threats. He describes this omission as glaring, pointing out that terrorists target cities, exploit local tensions, and attack public spaces. Consequently, municipal leaders are often left to manage the immediate and long-term impacts of violence, rebuilding traumatized communities without adequate recognition or support from the global body.
Local actors detect early warning signs
Rosand argues that cities are well-positioned to prevent terrorism and hate due to their proximity to the ground. Citing research from the Strong Cities Network, he highlights that frontline municipal actors are often the first to notice early signs of vulnerability or rising tension. These individuals include teachers, violence interrupters, librarians, social workers, community organizers, and faith leaders. Their daily interactions provide a critical vantage point that distant diplomatic corridors often miss.
Despite these contributions, UN member states rarely mention municipal efforts when reporting on the implementation of the global strategy. Furthermore, debates within the UN on how to improve the strategy’s execution seldom include representatives from local governments. This exclusion creates a gap between the practical realities of counter-terrorism work and the diplomatic processes intended to guide it.
Shifting focus from headquarters to streets
Looking ahead, the analysis suggests that the next decade of the strategy requires a fundamental shift in perspective. The conversation must move beyond the corridors of UN headquarters and the ongoing debates about internal structures and budgets. Instead, the focus should turn toward local initiatives that are already advancing the strategy’s pillars in concrete, grounded ways.
For the framework to remain relevant, it must provide cities and municipalities with recognition, resources, and a formal seat at the table. This applies to urban centers of all sizes, from large metropolises to rural areas. By integrating local voices into the global dialogue, the strategy can better address the conditions that give rise to extremism and ensure that those on the front lines are supported in their efforts to maintain security and social cohesion.
