Europe must play lead role in combating terrorism: Modi

PM to open annual meeting of AfDB next week
PM to open annual meeting of AfDB next week

BERLIN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described terrorism as the “gravest challenge” facing humanity and urged Europe to play a lead role in developing an effective global response under the aegis of the UN to deal with this menace.

Modi, who arrived here on the first leg of his six-day, four-nation tour of Germany, Spain, Russia and France, in an interview to German newspaper ‘Handelsblatt’ said, “Europe has been hit hard by terrorism”.

“To our mind, terrorism is the gravest challenge facing humanity. Europe must play a lead role in developing an effective global response under the aegis of the United Nations to deal with this menace,” he said.

Modi’s remarks assume significance as they come in the wake of a spate of terror attacks that have struck European countries like Germany, France, the UK and Sweden recently. The latest terror attack to have rocked Europe was at a concert in Manchester where a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 22 people. (AGENCIES)