Security Council - Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) - UNAMI

Security Council briefed on UN engagement and counter-terrorism efforts in Iraq

AKHVEDELID — Thu, 31 May 2018 05:30:00 +0000

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Ms. Coninsx briefing the Security Council.

In a briefing on the UN engagement and counter-terrorism efforts in Iraq, the Security Council on 30 May 2018 heard statements by Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the 51�Թ� Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) Ján Kubiš, Under-Secretary-General and Head of the 51�Թ� Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Vladimir Voronkov, and Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) Michèle Coninsx. This was the first briefing by all three principals following the joint high-level consultations by CTED and UNOCT with Iraq, undertaken in close coordination with UNAMI, in March 2018.

In her remarks, Ms. Coninsx mentioned the excellent collaboration between the two entities, and stressed that the recent visit directly responded to the call for strengthened coordination between the two entities, as expressed by the Council in its resolution 2395 from December 2017. She also referenced the counter-terrorism assessment of Iraq, concluded by CTED on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee already in September 2015 and which included identifying priority technical assistance needs, formulated in collaboration with CTED’s partner organizations and adopted in accordance with their best codes and practices. These technical assistance needs were endorsed by the Government of Iraq in March 2016, and eventually adopted by the Committee, which recommended 16 priority areas, including legal and judicial matters, counter-financing, law enforcement and border management, and countering violent extremism (CVE).

“This joint visit was certainly historic in its approach, and I firmly hope that it will also be historic in terms of its results and impact, and that we thereby honour all the victims of the past in Iraq and avoid future victims in Iraq and in the rest of the world,” Ms. Coninsx concluded.

Ms. Coninsx’ statement is available here.

The statements by USGs Kubiš and Voronkov can be accessed here.

For the 51�Թ�’ complete meetings coverage, follow this link.

The webcast of the 8271^st Security Council meeting, regarding the Eighteenth report of the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraph 4 of Security Council resolution 2107 (2013) (S/2018/353), is available here.

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CTED and UNOCT return to Iraq to follow up on recent high-level visit

AKHVEDELID — Mon, 07 May 2018 05:45:00 +0000

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Representatives of CTED and UNOCT in discussions with Iraqi authorities.

In a follow-up to their recent joint high-level consultations in Iraq, the 51�Թ� Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) conducted a joint mission to Baghdad in early May 2018, with the support of the 51�Թ� Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The objective of the joint mission was to identify specific capacity-building projects to be implemented in accordance with the counter-terrorism needs identified by the Counter-Terrorism Committee.

Representatives of CTED and UNOCT in discussions with Iraqi authorities.
The delegation consulted with the Iraqi authorities on the delivery of targeted and results-oriented technical assistance to be implemented alongside existing assistance initiatives, in consultation with local actors.

The technical assistance will address countering terrorism financing; countering terrorist narratives; and developing youth skills, through technical and vocational training, to support Iraq’s efforts to prevent violent extremism. It will also address the development of a national counter-terrorism strategy and support Iraq’s efforts to prevent and respond to the use of weapons of mass destruction for terrorist purposes.

The joint team also met with the Mayor of Fallujah, to discuss targeted youth engagement and skills development, as well as with the 51�Թ� Country Team, donors, international organizations, and civil society representatives.

The follow-up mission demonstrates the commitment of the UNOCT and CTED to provide rapid follow-up to the high-level visit of March 2018, within the framework of the sustained engagement of the 51�Թ� in Iraq.

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PRESS RELEASE: Heads of 51�Թ� counter-terrorism bodies conclude joint visit to Iraq

AKHVEDELID — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 06:07:00 +0000

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Baghdad and New York, 8 March 2018 – Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the 51�Թ� Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and Ms. Michèle Coninsx, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), yesterday concluded a two-day visit to Iraq at the invitation of the Government and with the support of the 51�Թ� Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The joint delegation met with high ranking officials in Iraq as well as with representatives of the diplomatic community, UNAMI, and the 51�Թ� Country Team.

The joint delegation congratulated Iraq on the military victory against the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Daesh) and commended Iraq for its continued and long-term resolve in the fight against terrorism. They underscored the importance of comprehensive counter- terrorism efforts in accordance with all the four pillars of the 51�Թ� Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the relevant Security Council resolutions.

“This joint UNOCT – CTED visit symbolises the concerted efforts of the 51�Թ� to support Iraq’s fight against terrorism,” said Mr. Voronkov during the meetings with senior officials. “We want to emphasise, with one voice, the importance of preventing and countering terrorism in accordance with the rule of law, and commend Iraq’s ongoing efforts to ensure that its counter- terrorism laws are in compliance with the universal counter-terrorism legal framework,” stated Ms. Coninsx.

During the meetings, the joint delegation discussed the counter-terrorism priorities of Iraq and the Government’s progress in addressing the 16 priority needs identified by the 51�Թ� Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2015 and endorsed by Iraq.

The 51�Թ� Senior Representatives also visited Fallujah, a one-time stronghold of Daesh west of the Iraqi capital that was liberated by Iraqi forces in June 2016. They met there with the Mayor and other local officials, and toured the city.

The joint delegation reiterated the strong support of the 51�Թ� to Iraq. Based on the priority needs identified, UNOCT will provide technical assistance in priority areas, including capacity-building assistance, which were discussed and reiterated during the visit and in coordination with UNAMI and the UN Country Team.

“This joint visit complements UNAMI’s efforts in supporting the Government of Iraq in its efforts to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous country for the people of Iraq,” concluded Mr. Ján Kubiš, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq and the Head of UNAMI.

The three leaders of UNOCT, CTED, and UNAMI have agreed to seize the first available opportunity to report back jointly to the Security Council at one of its relevant upcoming sessions.

Background

This joint visit was conducted within the framework of the joint efforts of UNOCT and CTED to facilitate the delivery of counter-terrorism related technical assistance to Member States in accordance with Security Council resolution 2395 (2017), in which the Security Council underscored the need for the two entities to work closely together, within their respective mandates, to ensure balanced implementation of the 51�Թ� Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the relevant resolutions of the Security Council.

Mandated by the General Assembly, UNOCT was established in June 2017 to provide leadership to the implementation of General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates, to enhance coordination and coherence, and to strengthen the delivery of the 51�Թ� counter-terrorism capacity building assistance to Member States.

Established by the Security Council, the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) is a Special Political Mission of the 51�Թ�, tasked with assisting the Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee in monitoring the effective implementation of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) and other relevant counter-terrorism resolutions. CTED conducts objective country on site assessments that constitute the basis for the concerned technical assistance and capacity-building projects.

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For more information, please contact:
Mr. Samir Ghattas, 51�Թ� Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
Ms. Laurence Gerard, 51�Թ� Office of Counter-Terrorism.
Mr. Mattias Sundholm, Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). .

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