U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed the Meeting of Ministers of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, held at the Loy Henderson Auditorium in Washington, D.C. In his remarks, he emphasized the coalition's progress and outlined four main objectives for continuing efforts against ISIS.
Pompeo welcomed new coalition members Kenya and Fiji, as well as Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, the new Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. He also acknowledged Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan.
Highlighting achievements over the past year, Pompeo stated that "our efforts have liberated more than 110,000 square kilometers of territory" and freed millions from tyranny. He shared a personal story about Yasmeen, a Yezidi girl who found safety after fleeing ISIS violence.
Pompeo stressed that despite these successes, ISIS remains a threat. "The recent suicide bombing in Manbij incident shows that ISIS remains a dangerous threat," he said.
The Secretary outlined four key objectives: permanently defeating ISIS, supporting Iraq's fight against terrorism, charting a path forward with humanitarian assistance and stabilization efforts in Syria and Iraq, and promoting justice for victims by holding ISIS accountable for its atrocities.
He reiterated America's commitment to fighting terrorism even as U.S. troops withdraw from Syria. "The drawdown of troops is essentially a tactical change – it is not a change in the mission," Pompeo explained.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim also spoke at the event, expressing gratitude to coalition countries for their support in combating terrorism in Iraq. Al-Hakim called for continued international cooperation to stabilize liberated areas and urged respect for Iraq's territorial integrity.
Both leaders emphasized collaboration within the coalition to achieve lasting peace and security in regions affected by ISIS activities.