On 24 September 2014, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2178 calling on all member states to take collective action to prevent to the flow of foreign terrorist fighters. The resolution, which was adopted during a meeting of the Security Council chaired by President Obama, comes amid growing international concern regarding the situation in Iraq and Syria.
The UN resolution proposes to address the issue of foreign terrorist fighters on certain key fronts:
- Strengthening domestic criminal offences
- Stressing the importance of curbing the financial flow and providing material/logistical support to terrorist organizations
- Strengthening international cooperation and underscoring the role of the United Nations
- Preventive measures, including efforts to counter violent extremism through enhanced civil society and community engagement