Abdel Rahim Ali's speech on the occasion of the G7 summit in Biarritz

Ladies and gentlemen, we meet at the premises of the Center for Middle East Studies in Paris today on the sidelines of the G7 summit which kicks off in Biarritz today and is expected to last until Monday, August 26.

A number of world leaders who believe in European values, such as democracy, freedom and the need for collaboration in the fight against terrorism and racial discrimination, will attend the summit side by side with the G7 leaders.

Summit organizers have chosen 'Combating inequality' to be the theme of the summit.

France, the current head of the G7, has chosen five following issues for discussion during the summit:

1 – Combating inequality between men and women by giving them equal access to education and health services.  

2 – Eradicating environmental inequality through the protection of the planet, in the light of funding specified for environmental activities and the protection of biological diversity.

3 – Seizing opportunities made available by the digital revolution and artificial intelligence in an ethical manner.

4 – Working for peace and combating security and terrorist threats.

5 – Renewing the partnership with Africa in a fairer manner.

My speech today will focus on the last two issues, namely combating terrorism and cooperation with Africa.

Terrorism and the need for international cooperation

Cooperation, coordination and continual dialogue between the seven industrial nations, on one hand, and African and Asian states, on the other, on common issues and problems, including means of fighting terrorism, is extremely important at present.

Terrorists and their financiers have benefited a lot from political controversies and ideological differences between world and regional powers.

When Arab suffered from a surge in terrorist attacks in the 1980s and 1990s, mainly against the security establishment, tourist facilities and Christians, for example, some European states, such as the UK, considered the same terrorists staging the attacks freedom fighters or "armed opposition". It also offered them the chance to gain political asylum status, allowed them to organize conferences, and organized hearing sessions for them at representative councils, including at the House of Commons. The same terrorists were allowed to be interviewed by newspapers and television stations to denigrate the faith of Arab governments that did not share the same ideological beliefs with them.

Sorry to say, some major media organizations, the BBC for example, continue to describe terrorists carrying out attacks against the Egyptian army and police in Sinai as "militants".

Nevertheless, if someone stabs a British citizen or drives over a group of British citizens on one of the streets of London, this person will immediately be called a "terrorist" by the same media organizations, in a flagrant contradiction. This contradiction is always used by terrorist groups in achieving their goals.

On the other hand, some people call for suppressing women and spreading hatred against those who follow difference religious beliefs. They hold music and the arts in scorn and ban them on the grounds that they are against their religious beliefs.

The leaders attending the G7 summit are expected to discuss means of preventing all this. These practices are also tantamount to hate crimes and racial discrimination in Europe.

Some important writers and columnists consider the leaders of the International Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood and the organization which holds the same racists beliefs as "freedom fighters" as well. They spread a welcome mat for them inside parliaments and rights centers so that they can explain and defend their views and beliefs.

Unifying concepts between Europe and Africa is becoming very urgent so that we can prevent terrorists and racists from using contradictions in serving their own interests.

Terrorists always use the weaknesses of central states and political and security unrest in controlling territories and planning attacks in other areas. Iraq and Libya are clear examples in this regard.

Sorry to say, when what came to be called the "Arab Spring" started, Europeans were enthusiastic to it.

We said then that the so-called spring aimed to open the door for unrest that turns into a fertile soil for the growth of terrorist groups and the control over power by Islamists who will be more capable of spreading their hate-filled and racist ideology.

We asked them to be cautious in assessing this phenomenon. They were, however, influenced by the views of some Western writers who viewed the political forces leading the Arab Spring as "freedom fighters".

The emergence of the Islamic State group was a direct result of the Arab Spring. It infiltrated the Arab region and then started targeting Europe, which caused untold damage.

International, not only European-African, cooperation in the fight against these phenomena is becoming extremely necessary at this juncture of humanity's history. The following steps need to be taken in the fight against terrorism and terrorism financing:

1 – Boosting intelligence cooperation, especially in the exchange of information

2 – Boosting security and military cooperation, especially in chasing terrorist elements and denying them safe refuges

3 – Boosting economic and technical cooperation in conflict areas, such as Libya, Yemen and Sinai in Egypt, and offering support to states that fight terrorism

I hope the leaders attending the G7 summit in Biarritz will discuss these steps and take decisions on them.

We are facing problems that can blow up in the face of any country either sooner or later.

Ladies and gentlemen, thanks so much for your attention and attendance.