(WASHINGTON, DC) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Saudi Ambassador to the United States Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir and Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the U.N. Abdallah Y. Al-Mouallimi held a joint press conference today on the Kingdom’s $100 million donation to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT).

The Secretary-General thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz for the Kingdom’s donation and urged other members to “follow the example of Saudi Arabia” by investing in the Centre’s efforts. “I expect UNCCT, Counter Terrorism Centre, to play a significant role together with 34 entities of the CTITF to more effectively mobilize UN counter-terrorism efforts in the world,” stated Mr. Ban. “I am confident that this timely contribution will make a real difference at national, regional and global levels.”

Ambassador Al-Jubeir stressed the significance of the Centre in combatting terrorism worldwide. “Terrorism is an evil that must be eradicated from the world through international efforts,” Ambassador Al-Jubeir said during the press conference. "The [UNCCT] is the only center in the world that has the legitimacy to combat terrorism.”

"The Kingdom gives aid to countries in and outside the region to help combat terrorism," said Ambassador Al-Mouallimi.

The initiative for the UNCCT was conceived in 2005, when King Abdullah held the Counter-Terrorism International Conference in Riyadh. In 2011, Saudi Arabia signed an agreement with the U.N. to create the UNCCT and donated $10 million to its establishment. The center is located at the U.N. Headquarters in New York City.