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

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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Joint high-level consultations of UN counter-terrorism bodies in Tajikistan

AKHVEDELID — Wed, 09 May 2018 05:39:00 +0000

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On 3-4 May 2018, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) participated in a high-level international conference on Countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism. Held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the conference was co-organized by the Government of Tajikistan, several 51�Թ� bodies, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the European Union (EU), with financial support from the State of Qatar.

CTED Executive Director Michèle Coninsx delivered a statement during the plenary session of the conference, highlighting CTED’s current efforts aimed at countering terrorism and the evolution of its mandate pursuant to the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, as well as its work in Central Asia. One of CTED’s Legal Officers also delivered a presentation on evolving new threats and terrorist tactics with a focus on returning and relocating foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs).

The main objectives of the Conference included creating a common understanding of current challenges and obstacles in the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in the region and globally; exploring opportunities for strengthening partnerships and cooperation at national, regional, and international levels; sharing opportunities and challenges of Tajikistan’s National Counter-Terrorism Strategy implementation; identifying trends and challenges of radicalization, and the role of youth, ideology and information in preventing and countering violent extremism leading to terrorism; exchanging experiences in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism with a focus on FTF threat prevention; stock-taking of domestic and regional mechanisms to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism; and strengthening cooperation against cyber-terrorism and developing directives/guidelines for countering violent extremism in cyber space.

The conference was attended by delegations from 47 Member States, several 51�Թ� delegations, and many regional organizations.

On the margins of the conference, Ms. Coninsx held several bilateral meetings, some of these jointly with UNOCT, the 51�Թ� Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy (UNRCCA), and the 51�Թ� Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). These meetings included discussions with the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, high-level officials of Afghanistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Uzbekistan, the UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan, and heads of regional organizations.

Meeting with the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Mr. Rashid Alimov (centre).

Meeting between the President of Tajikistan and the UN delegation.

In the last three years, CTED has conducted assessment visits, on the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s behalf, to all five countries of Central Asia, and is working closely with UNOCT in the framework of the third phase of the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) for Central Asia, which was launched on 30 April 2018 in Ashgabat. The recommendations made during these country visits – including those requiring the provision of technical assistance – will be addressed at the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s open briefing in New York on 2 July 2018.

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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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CTED participates in open briefing on Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force

BMUSONI — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 15:07:00 +0000

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On 13 December 2017, the 51�Թ� Office of Counter-Terrorism (OCT) hosted an open briefing to Member States on the Activities of the Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF). The purpose of the meeting was to enable representatives from the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), INTERPOL, UNESCO, UNODC, UNDP, and the OCT to provide presentations on the work of the CTITF working groups to inform Member States of past achievements and future projects of their respective groups.

CTED is Chair of the Border Management and Law Enforcement related to Counter-Terrorism Working Group, and co-Chair of the National and Regional Strategies Working Group, the Legal and Criminal Justice Working Group, the Strategic Communications Working Group, and the Interagency Working Group on Gender.

Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of CTED Ms. Michèle Coninsx updated Member States on the role of CTED in the context of these CTITF working groups. She recognized that the CTITF working group model strategically aligns with the three primary areas of CTED’s work, i.e. monitoring and assessment of Member States’ implementation of relevant Council resolutions on terrorism; facilitating the delivery of technical assistance to Member States; and providing analysis and identification of challenges, gaps, and trends in the global terrorist threat, as well as promoting counter-terrorism practices that help ensure that CTED’s assessments and recommendations are effectively aligned with both the capacities and programmes of its implementing partners and with the needs of Member States.

Ms. Coninsx also spoke of the strong, cooperative relationship CTED has developed with OCT, and reaffirmed the priority CTED attaches to this engagement: “CTED will continue to explore ways to further enhance our interaction and work hand-in-hand with OCT to address the global threat of terrorism,” she concluded.

Documents

Statement of Assistant Secretary – General Michèle Coninsx Executive Director , Counter – Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate

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Counter-Terrorism Committee holds open briefing on developing counter-terrorism strategies

BMUSONI — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 14:07:00 +0000

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Security Council resolution 1963 (2010) marked a significant shift in the Council’s approach to counter-terrorism. Prior to 2010, the Council and its subsidiary counter-terrorism bodies had focused primarily on security-related, legal, and punitive measures, whereas the new slant reflected the recognition by the Security Council that a more expansive approach might be more effective.

As part of these efforts, on 31 October 2017 the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee organized an open informal briefing on “Developing national and regional comprehensive and integrated counter-terrorism strategies (lessons learned).” The briefing featured presentations by CTED, as well as from the 51�Թ� Office of Counter-Terrorism.

In its presentation, CTED outlined three key effects Security Council resolutions 1963 (2010) and 2129 (2013) had on the Committee’s and CTED’s work. First, the adoption of both resolutions led to a more expansive approach to achieving objectives of Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). Second, they encouraged CTED to pay “attention to factors that lead to terrorist activities,” thereby increasingly aligning the Council’s counter-terrorism measures with those of the 51�Թ� Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Lastly, the resolutions enabled CTED to engage with non-governmental stakeholders, including civil society, academia, and the media. Ultimately, this engagement should inform and feed into the development of comprehensive, integrated national and regional counter-terrorism strategies, as well as implementing mechanisms that include attention to factors that lead to terrorist activities.

Through open dialogue, Member States made interventions, shared their current counter-terrorism strategies and offered their observations of good practices. As CTED expressed during the gathering, the briefing demonstrated “the transparency of the Committee’s work in areas of crucial importance to Member States’ counter-terrorism efforts” to a wide audience of Member and Observer States, UN entities, intergovernmental organizations, and specialized agencies.

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CTED briefs Security Council on terrorist threats to international peace and security

BMUSONI — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 14:07:00 +0000

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On 28 September 2017, the 51�Թ� Security Council held a meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. The meeting marked the 16th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1373, which was adopted on this day in 2001, following the 11 September terrorist attacks against the United States. The gathering also offered Member States a chance to exchange views on the future role and responsibilities of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), ahead of the upcoming renewal of its mandate at the end of the year.

“Since its inception, CTED has been tasked with providing the Counter-Terrorism Committee with neutral, independent expert assessments of Member States’ implementation of the Security Council resolutions on terrorism,” Officer-in-Charge of CTED David Scharia told the Council. Stressing that most of CTED’s work products – including in particular its thematic and regional analyses – are not confidential, Mr. Scharia expressed his hope that the newly established UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (OCT) will make full use of these.

CTED’s assessments, conducted through voluntary country visits on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, provide the Committee, the Council at large, and partners in New York and in the field, access to the most updated information on Member States’ implementation of counter-terrorism resolutions. To date, CTED has conducted 133 visits covering 93 States – including 45 visits since the previous review of the mandate of the Special Political Mission.

“This process helps these countries enact laws, establish new institutions, and strengthen capacities,” Mr. Sharia noted, emphasizing the importance and practical implications of these assessments.

Counter-Terrorism Committee Chairman and Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the 51�Թ�, H.E. Amr Aboulatta, recognized the importance of CTED’s implementation assessments of Member States, referring to them as some of the most comprehensive documents of the 51�Թ�. Recalling the adoption of six new counter-terrorism resolutions by the Security Council this year alone, other members of the Security Council also praised the work of CTED, stating that they looked forward to discussing ways to enhance the role of CTED in its many thematic areas, including foreign terrorist fighters, information and communications technologies, and digital and battlefield evidence.

The meeting marked the first time Vladimir Voronkov, UN Under-Secretary-General with the newly created OCT, briefed the Council. Mr. Voronkov presented the efforts of his office, including its work with the Counter-Terrorism Committee, CTED, and the Council at large in implementing the UN’s Global Counter-terrorism Strategy.

Counter-Terrorism Committee Chairman Amr Aboulatta’s statement is available here.

The statement of the OIC of Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate is available here.

The webcast of the meeting is available here.

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