PRESS RELEASE: Executive Director welcomes Security Council’s adoption of CTED mandate-renewal resolution

BMUSONI — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:07:00 +0000

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The Security Council unanimously adopting resolution 2395 (2017).

(NEW YORK, 21 DECEMBER 2017) The Security Council today adopted resolution (UNSCR) 2395 (2017), which extends the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate’s (CTED) mandate by four years, until 31 December 2021. A Special Political Mission, CTED was first established by resolution 1535, in 2004, and was declared operational in December 2005. Its core function is to assist the Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee and monitor, facilitate, and promote Member States’ implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005), 2178 (2014) and other relevant counter-terrorism resolutions.

“I welcome the Council’s adoption of this resolution, which provides a clear and enhanced mandate for the coming years. CTED is committed to continuing its efforts to prevent and address terrorism by delivering neutral, expert assessments of Member States’ effective implementation of the Security Council’s counter-terrorism resolutions,” CTED Executive Director Michèle Coninsx said.

The Security Council unanimously adopting resolution 2395 (2017).

UNSCR 2395 (2017) inter alia:

Reaffirms the overarching objective of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to ensure full implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and the central role of CTED within the 51�Թ� for assessment, analysis, and expertise in counter-terrorism matters;

Underscores that CTED’s assessments, and the analysis and recommendations from those assessments, are an invaluable aid to Member States in identifying and addressing gaps in implementation and capacity, and calls on the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), all other relevant 51�Թ� funds and programmes, Member States, donors, and recipients to use these expert assessments in their development of technical assistance and capacity-building projects;

Directs the Counter-Terrorism Committee, supported by CTED, to determine on an annual basis a list of Member States that CTED should visit (with the State’s consent) for the purpose of conducting assessments, and underscores that the composition of the list should take a risk-based approach that acknowledges existing gaps, emerging issues, trends, events, and analysis;
Directs CTED to report to the Counter-Terrorism Committee by 30 March 2018 on potential ways to strengthen the assessment process, including through considering targeted and focused follow-up visits as complements to CTED’s comprehensive assessments;
Requests the Counter-Terrorism Chair to invite assessed Member States to coordinate with CTED and UNOCT on the implementation of CTED recommendations, and for CTED to report within 12 months of the initial assessment report to the Counter-Terrorism Committee on steps taken to implement the assessment recommendations;
Reiterates the essential role of CTED within the 51�Թ� to identify and assess issues, trends, and developments relating to the implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005), 2178 (2014) and other relevant resolutions;
Recognizes CTED’s relationships with relevant experts and practitioners in Member States, relevant international, regional, and subregional organizations, academia, think tanks, civil society, and the private sector;
Recognizes CTED’s work on countering the use of the Internet and social media in furtherance of terrorist purposes, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms;
Stresses that the heads of CTED and UNOCT should meet regularly to discuss areas of mutual interest and the incorporation of CTED recommendations and analysis into UNOCT’s work, particularly in the implementation of technical assistance and capacity-building.

The resolution also underlines the need for CTED to promote respect for human rights in countering terrorism, integrate the gender perspective into all its activities, address the impact of terrorism on children, counter financing of terrorism, and promote the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

For additional information, please contact Mattias Sundholm, CTED, at this email address, or +1-917-628-3531.

Front Page Article:

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

PRESS RELEASE: Executive Director welcomes Security Council’s adoption of CTED mandate-renewal resolution

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

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