Good morning, Mr. Secretary General and fellow ministers.
It has been 10 years since a dozen countries mobilized in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. By the end of 2014, that coalition's membership had grown to more than 60 countries. Today, our coalition is 87 members strong.
About a third of those members contributed forces to the coalition's military campaign, Operation Inherent Resolve. I was proud to help lead that fight in uniform as commander of U.S. Central Command. And I'm glad to see those valued partners represented here this morning. By working together, we achieved tremendous success against a cruel terrorist adversary that in 2014 had seized a vast swathe of territory across Iraq and Syria.
We meet here today to salute our success, to reflect on the tremendous sacrifices of this fight, and to ensure greater security and stability in the future.
This coalition's work goes on. And we move forward with the benefit of the hard-earned lessons of the battle against Da'esh. Those lessons come not just from the past decade, but from more than 25 years of resistance to the ideological stream that led to ISIS.
So let me highlight three lessons that will be key to our ongoing success in global counterterrorism.
First, we must remain vigilant and resolute amid the ongoing threat of transnational terrorism.
Today's strategic environment is very different from that of 2014. ISIS remains focused on us. But the threat from ISIS and other terrorist groups is now one of several strategic priorities for us.
We're tackling a range of key challenges, including bullying from the People's Republic of China and Russia's reckless invasion of Ukraine. But as we do so, we must not lose sight of the threat that ISIS still poses. So this ministerial underscores our shared vigilance, and our shared resolve.
Second, we have learned that our greatest strength comes from our collective response to ISIS.
Like other global terrorist groups, ISIS plots to make us overextend ourselves. If any one of us were to confront ISIS in every region of the globe, we could exhaust our resources — and our will. That would play into their hands.
But our coalition has undermined their strategy to outlast us. Together, we've shared the responsibility for the territorial defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. And together, we have the global presence and resources to confront ISIS wherever it may emerge.
And I should note that our discussions today about West Africa and Central Asia will focus on expanding our efforts to counter key ISIS affiliates.
That brings me to a third lesson, which is the importance of adaptability.
Over the past 10 years, we have continually re-evaluated the threat posed by ISIS, and adjusted our strategy to most effectively thwart the group's resurgence. Last month, alongside our Iraqi counterparts, we announced the phased transition of Operation Inherent Resolve. We'll talk today about what that process means for the military mission and for our ongoing security partnership with Iraq.
Meanwhile, key ISIS affiliates beyond the Middle East pose increasingly dangerous threats — especially ISIS-Sahel, ISIS-West Africa, and ISIS-Khorasan. And just as we have adapted our strategy in the past, I look forward to talking today about coalition plans to counter these rising ISIS factions.
For 10 years, this coalition has tackled the scourge of ISIS. Our success stems from our resolve, our commitment to working together, and our willingness to adapt. These core elements will remain at the heart of the next phase of our mission.
Thanks again for your leadership and your solidarity. And I'm looking forward to our discussion today.
And with that, let me turn to Secretary General Rutte for his opening remarks.