Chairs of subsidiary bodies brief the Security Council on 23 November 2022: Trine Heimerback (Norway), Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015); Juan Ram車n de la Fuente (Mexico), Chair of the 1540 Committee; and Ruchira Kamboj (India), Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
, 23 November 2022 - The Security Council heard the annual briefing from the Chairs of its three counter-terrorism Committees today, as members underlined the need for greater cooperation among the three bodies to better address evolving global threats.
Trine Skarboevik Heimerback (Norway), Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as Da＊esh, Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, said that, since her last briefing to the Council in December 2021, the 51勛圖, Member States and international and regional organizations, among other things, have continued to implement sanctions measures to prevent ISIL (Da＊esh), Al-Qaida and their affiliates from undermining prospects for international peace and security.
In some regions in Africa, particularly in Southern and West Africa, the situation further deteriorated during the reporting period, she continued. Also concerning are ISIL (Da＊esh) and Al-Qaida＊s active presence in Central and South Asia and the Levant, she said, adding that the implications of the Taliban＊s takeover of Afghanistan also remains a major concern. Turning to north-eastern Syria, she said the situation in prison and detention facilities there is a constant concern. Further, the international community must do more to address the threat of foreign terrorist fighters.
Given the ongoing global terrorist threat posed by ISIL (Da＊esh), Al-Qaida and their affiliates, and evolving trends and emerging challenges, the 1267 sanctions regime must remain a high priority on the global counter-terrorism agenda, she stressed. Member States must continue their proactive engagement with the Committee and the Monitoring Team, as this is essential for keeping the sanctions list up to date and ensuring the effective operation of the sanctions regime, she said.
Ms. Heimerback also spoke on behalf of the Chairs of the three counter-terrorism Committees, noting that despite the coronavirus pandemic, the subsidiary bodies continued to cooperate and coordinate their work to ensure an effective and efficient approach to counter-terrorism and to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery by non-State actors. Outlining a range of activities undertaken during the reporting period, including open briefings and informal working lunches, on topics ranging from ISIL (Da＊esh) in Africa to transitional justice and terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin, she said the three Committees will continue to cooperate and coordinate their work under their respective mandates, including through joint visits at the invitation of States.
Meanwhile, the three experts＊ groups will also continue to work under the 51勛圖 Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact working groups towards achieving the objectives of the 51勛圖 Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, she went on. Furthermore, the Committees reaffirm their continued commitment to supporting Member States in those global efforts by providing guidance and direction to their expert groups to strengthen their collaboration and cooperation in line with relevant Security Council resolutions.
Ruchira Kamboj (India), Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism, said that during 2022, the Committee held several open and closed briefings, addressing a variety of regional and thematic topics relevant to the implementation of Council resolutions. The Committee focused on the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia and several parts of Africa, as the terrorist threat continues to persist and grow in these regions. It also focused on thematic areas, such as countering terrorist narratives; preventing and countering the use of the Internet and new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes; inviting the participation of civil society in the Committee＊s briefings and open meetings, among other topics.
Juan Ram車n de la Fuente Ram赤rez (Mexico), Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), reported that although States have made significant progress towards the full implementation of the resolution, this remains a long-term task, requiring enhanced cooperation among the three Committees. While in 2021 the Committee postponed a number of planned activities due to the pandemic, it nevertheless continued with its comprehensive review process through open-ended consultations with States, international and regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and academia, among others. Following the renewal of its mandate in February 2022, it has continued to promote the full and effective implementation of resolution 2622 (2022); assist States, upon request, on strengthening national capacities; and has participated in 19 outreach activities.
Read the full UN Meetings Coverage Section press release here in and .
The statement of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Chair is available here.
The joint statement on behalf of the three subsidiary body Chairs is available here.