UN Security Council to highlight Africa peace during China's presidency

UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council will hold a debate on peace and security in Africa on March 11, with a special focus on fighting terrorism and extremism.

Briefing the press on the council's monthly program of work, Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN and president of the council for March, said that Africa is a continent with the greatest potential of development, but it is also confronted with many uncertainties and challenges.

"Among them is the threat of terrorism and extremism," he noted.

Zhang said he has talked with many African ambassadors and several special envoys of the UN secretary-general posted in Africa, who shared "the same feeling that we are faced (with) a growing threat from terrorism."

In this light, the Security Council will arrange a debate on peace and security in Africa, with a special focus on the threat of terrorism and extremism on March 11, he said.

"We hope that with that, we are able to hear views from the African Union, from the (UN) Secretariat, from African states, especially in obtaining some practical ideas on how to address this rising threat in the African continent," he said.

Moreover, Zhang expressed his hope that through this discussion, the international community will give a bigger role to African regional organizations in tackling this threat.