Egypt urges global efforts to defeat terrorism

The international community needs to take all possible measures to defeat terrorism and prevent it from exploiting advances in information technology, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said here on Tuesday.

"The world is at a crossroads; threats to international peace and security are no longer conventional, but have rather evolved to constitute a threat to the very tenets of human civilization," al-Sisi said at the high-level general debate of UN General Assembly which started Tuesday.

Noting that terrorism breeds the call for extremism and violence in the minds of people, the president said it is every country's duty to instill in those very same minds the principles of tolerance and coexistence.

As a regional power, al-Sisi said, Egypt has managed to preserve its stability in the Middle East, a region plagued by instability and bloody conflicts.

"Egypt may continue to act as an anchor of stability in the Middle East, sparing no efforts in carrying out its natural role by working with regional and international parties to restore security and stability in the region," he said.

Over 140 world leaders are gathering in New York to attend this year's general debate which runs through Sept. 26. This year's theme for the General Assembly is "The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Universal Push to Transform our World." Enditem