Reducing terrorism with development ; the United Nations' new path. (c2009)

Abstract

It is with such an approach in mind that I believe an important aspect of terrorism can be fought. On the one hand, development bolsters people's aspirations and ambitions to establishing a good life. Terrorism, on the other hand, is a lethal act only directed to death. This is a conflicting picture that has been taking hold of the world for the past centuries. The following study exposes several aspects of development explaining why it is a strategy to counter terrorism. Specifically the thesis addresses the following question: Why has the United Nations decided to broaden its spectrum o/Counter-Terrorism strategies to include development? Mindful of the fact that development cannot eradicate terrorism but is a mean to inhibit this phenomenon, it attributes a pivotal role to the United Nations in the fight against terrorism. This study will explicitly focus on the General Assembly's Global Strategy to counter terrorism, and the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate, representing the Security Council. The main UN mechanism leading the fight against terrorism is represented by the GA and SC for they reflect the wishes of the Member States' governments. Terrorism is not a simple community problem that will be eradicated with policies of development. However the impact that development may have through the coordination of efforts, both from the respective governments and the UN, can be a major element in decreasing the number of terrorist clusters' members and their radicalization.