S Arabia donates $100M for UN counter-terrorism efforts

NEW YORK (AA) – Saudi Arabia donated  $100 million for the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre, UNCTC, at a special event staged in the office of the UN Secretary-General at the organization’s headquarters in New York on Wednesday. UN’s chief Ban Ki-moon welcomed the generous donation by the Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud -- expressing deep gratitude for the money.
Ban noted he already personally thanked King Abdullah last month in Jeddah “for his leadership on this and so many other issues.” He said it included the previous Saudi contribution of $500 million to meet humanitarian needs in Iraq. Ban said he stood confident that the “timely contribution” by Saudi Arabia would make a real difference at national, regional and global levels.
“The Center has supported 31 counter-terrorism projects around the world covering all four pillars of the United Nations global counter-terrorism strategy,” said Ban.
“I urge other member states to follow the example of Saudi Arabia by investing in the Centre’s efforts,” he added.
Among the other major contributors to UN Counter Terrorism Center are U.S., Germany and U.K. 
Ban said he expected the UN Counter Terrorism Center to play “a significant role” together with 34 entities of the Counter Terrorism International Task Force “to more effectively mobilize UN counter-terrorism efforts in the world.
“The recent disturbing upsurge of terrorism in a number of countries and regions of the world, most dramatically demonstrated by the so-called ‘Islamic State’ in Iraq, underscores the challenges before us,” UN’s chief explained. The UNCTC was launched in 2011 with an initial $10 million contribution by Saudi Arabia. It was envisioned by Saudi King Abdullah back in 2005.
Currently, the center is guided by its Advisory Board and chaired by Saudi Arabia's UN ambassador Abdallah Yahya Al-Mouallimi, who also attended the event.