S/PV.6964 Security Council

Under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Portugal and the Syrian Arab Republic to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Thomas Mayr-Harting, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At the outset, Ambassor Kim Sook will make a joint statement on behalf of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1540 (2004), 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), and 1373 (2001), Following that joint statement, the Council will hear briefings from the Chairs of those three Committees. I now give the floor to Ambassador Kim Sook.

On behalf of the Chair of the Security Council Committees established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), on Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, 1373 (2001), on counter-terrorism, and 1540 (2004) on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) by non-State actors, I have the honour to update the Council on the continuing cooperation among the three Committees and their respective Groups of Experts, as requested by the Council in its resolutions 2083 (2012), 1963 (2010), 1977 (2011) and earlier resolutions. Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and the risk of WMD proliferation among non-State actors continue to pose a serious threat to international peace and security. In dealing with that grave threat, the Security Council has emphasized the importance of close and effective cooperation and coordination among the Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). An important consideration in that regard is that effective counter-terrorism measures and respect for human rights be complementary and mutually reinforcing. Since the last update provided to the Security Council (see S/PV.6862), the three Committees continued to cooperate on outreach activities conducted within their respective mandates, enhanced their cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations, conducted joint training programmes, increased the exchange of information, participated in joint meetings and engaged in reciprocal representation, as appropriate. With respect to the challenges posed by the exploitation of technological advances by terrorists and non-State actors, including the use of the Internet as an effective communication channel, together with the rapid development in nuclear, chemical and biological technology, which increases the potential for intangible transfers, the Committees’ Groups of Experts can also support States that seek assistance in building national capacities to deal with those challenges. I am pleased to report in more detail on the areas in which cooperation has been increased. With regard to outreach and country visits, coordinated outreach activities and country visits are important tools for the three Committees in facilitating the implementation of their respective mandates. Since November 2012, all three Groups of Experts were represented at more than a dozen workshops and other outreach events, and more meetings were attended by at least two of the groups. For example, a regional workshop for member States of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, organized by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) with the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa and with the participation of the Monitoring Team, was held in Dakar from 11 to 13 December 2012. Designed for member States of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, the workshop provided an opportunity for participants to discuss the legislative, institutional and operational challenges their respective countries are facing and to identify practical solutions, promote coordination among domestic institutions involved in assets- freezing, promote enhanced international and regional cooperation with a view to ensuring swift responses to foreign requests for assets-freezing, and enhance their capacities through the exchange of experiences with international and regional experts. From 13 to 15 March, CTED organized an event in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, with the participation of the Monitoring Team, on the issue of cooperation on border control in the Sahel and the Maghreb. During the three-day event, representatives of 11 States and 21 international, regional and subregional organizations discussed how to enhance the capacities of States to take border-control actions. In all, the Monitoring Team has participated in 21 joint country visits with CTED. I turn now to the subject of cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations. The three Experts groups are all entities of the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF). In this regard, the CTITF continues to provide a platform for enhanced cooperation by the three Experts groups, not only among themselves, but also with over 30 United Nations organizations, agencies and programmes concerned with various aspects of counter-terrorism. The Monitoring Team and CTED have also continued their leading roles in their respective CTITF working groups. The 1540 Committee Group of Experts participated in the Working Group on Border Management related to Counter-Terrorism and the Working Group on Preventing and Responding to Weapons of Mass Destruction Attacks. The three Committees have close cooperation on issues related to anti-money laundering and combating terrorism financing. One example of this cooperation is that, for the past three years, CTED and the Monitoring Team have worked together on the CTITF project on preventing terrorist financing abuse through non-profit organizations. This global initiative, which was launched at a ministerial meeting in London in January 2011 and involved five regional workshops, concluded on 7 March with a briefing to all member States. While CTED took the lead in organizing the initiative, the Monitoring Team experts were able to provide the initiative with concrete examples of the vulnerability of non-profit organizations to terrorist financing from the perspective of resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) and through their own work. The three Committees, through their respective experts, also coordinated their work in the margins of and at meetings of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary and working groups. A particularly important aspect of their cooperation in the period under review was their contribution to the agreement on the new FATF standards and assessment methodology. The joint attendance in the FATF plenary, such as in February this year, and working group meetings helped ensure that there is a unified and coordinated message in the framework of their respective mandates. Both the 1267 Monitoring Team and the 1540 experts participated in the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s special meeting on 20 November 2012 with Member States and international, regional and subregional organizations in New York to discuss measures required to prevent and suppress terrorist financing. Participants exchanged their respective experiences and challenges and suggested possible measures to address the prevention and suppression of terrorism financing, highlighting in particular the importance and value of international cooperation, joint capacity-building initiatives, and targeted technical assistance delivery. With respect to training, a key way in which the three Committees cooperate is in staff training, which reduces costs, maximizes the number of experts trained, and facilitates staff development. CTED organized a training session on the new FATF standards from 17 to 19 December 2012 and the experts from the Monitoring Team and the 1540 Group of Experts participated. This process offers an opportunity for visiting experts and officials to meet all three Groups at once and allows the experts to explore areas of potential joint cooperation with the visiting representatives. The exchange of information among the Experts groups continues to be carried out on a regular basis. CTED regularly shares with the other two groups the monthly reports submitted by its Executive Director to the CTC. In a new step, the three Experts groups have shared their respective working calendars of events and discussed ways of improving the efficiency of country visits and training opportunities with a view to improving value for money. The experts of the 1540 Committee prepare information notes on the Committee’s outreach events and post them on the Committee’s website for the purpose of transparency and information sharing. As for joint meetings and reciprocal representation, the three Experts groups continue to hold joint meetings where appropriate, whether involving the heads of each team or the expert teams, in order to prepare for relevant outreach activities and to exchange information on particular themes or activities in specific regions or countries. In addition, the CTC extends invitations to the other two Experts groups when arranging briefings by visiting officials of intergovernmental organizations or when organizing thematic briefings of mutual interest. On 7 February, both the 1540 Group of Experts and the Monitoring Team participated, at the invitation of the CTC, in a briefing by Mr. Aleksey Kuzyura, Head of the Working Group of the Meeting of Heads of Special Services, Security Agencies and Law-Enforcement Organizations of Foreign States of the Russian Federation. I turn now to future additional steps. The work of the three Committees, when considered together, present opportunities for further synergies which, when fully exploited, would result in a multiplier effect for the delivery of results. It should be possible to achieve these improved results while maintaining respect for the independence of the respective Experts groups and their mandates. On the basis of current coordination and cooperation, each of the three Committee’s staff and Experts groups are committed to further joint cooperation in a number of areas. These include, but are not limited to having regular meetings between the three Committees at the Committee level and/or between chair countries; increasing engagement in on-site visits to States, at their invitation, to facilitate the implementation of each of the resolutions; coordinating on a common regional approach to engage with Member States with geographical and political similarities; coordinating on key thematic areas that are of interest to all the Committees in order to benefit from information- and experience-sharing and effective practices; enhancing coordination in implementing projects within the CTITF framework, in particular through the various thematic working groups; coordinating on approaches to donor States and assistance providers and joint evaluation of outcomes; considering developing joint assistance packages for States, at their request, and where appropriate; and enhancing joint interaction, particularly with non-reporting States, in fulfilling their reporting obligations under relevant resolutions. The 1540 Committee should consider sharing its summary reports on outreach events with the other Committees. This concludes my joint statement to the Security Council. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as Chair of the 1540 Committee. I take this opportunity to give an overview of the main developments in the work of the 1540 Committee since our last joint meeting on 14 November 2012 (see S/PV.6862). At the outset, I should like to inform the Council that the Committee’s Group of Experts is now at its full complement of nine, as envisaged in resolution 2055 (2012). On 27 December 2012, the 1540 Committee transmitted to the Security Council the review of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) for 2012. Building on the status and experience of implementation, the Committee set out a list of tasks in the “Looking ahead” section of this review. I am pleased to report that good progress has been made in fulfilling these tasks. We will soon transmit to the Council our twelfth programme of work, which is now under discussion within the Committee. I believe that the programme of work will optimize the efficiency of the Committee, map out specific priorities to promote the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), and set up the guidance for the work of the Committee over the next 12 months. Guided by the principles of transparency, equal treatment, cooperation and consistency in its approach, the Committee has continued to focus its attention on raising global awareness of resolution 1540 (2004) and facilitating assistance to States in strengthening national capabilities to implement its requirements and lay the foundation for improved mechanisms for sharing effective practices for national implementation and promoting collaboration with other international organizations. Resolution 1977 (2011) calls upon all States that have not yet presented a first report to submit such a report to the Committee without delay. There appears to be a better understanding of the challenges of national implementation and the development of tailored strategies to facilitate assistance for overcoming challenges, and assistance that also supports the implementation of relevant international obligations and national security and development priorities. In that regard, the Committee has developed an approach to the 24 non-reporting States in an effort to achieve universal reporting, if possible, by the end of 2014, which will be the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004). In accordance with its mandate, the Committee continued to further facilitate “matchmaking” between assistance requests and offers. Since the previous briefing, the Committee received an additional official request for assistance from the Central American Integration System (SICA) secretariat on 15 January, which requested funding for the continuation of the SICA 1540 programme of work, including the position of the 1540 regional coordinator within the SICA secretariat to assist SICA member States. In accordance with the established procedures, the Committee has passed on the request to those States and international, regional and subregional organizations that have offered to provide assistance for their consideration, and first responses have been received. The Group of Experts is now working on identifying and analysing assistance needs and continuing consultations with officials from States, in facilitating existing and new assistance requests. Paragraph 8 of resolution 1977 (2011) encourages all States to prepare on a voluntary basis national implementation action plans, with the assistance of the 1540 Committee, as appropriate, mapping out their priorities and plans for implementing the key provisions of resolution 1540 (2004), and to submit those plans to the 1540 Committee. We are pleased to report that, since our previous briefing, Kyrgyzstan has submitted its national implementation action plan to the Committee. We note that Kyrgyzstan’s plan also contains a request for technical and financial assistance for the implementation of the specific measures of the plan. A good example is the national implementation action plan drafting session held in April with representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ministries and agencies. According to the information received by the Committee, a number of other States, supported by the Group of Experts, are in the process of updating or preparing their initial national action plans. Paragraph 11 of resolution 1977 (2011) encourages the 1540 Committee to actively engage in dialogue with States on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), including through visits to States at their invitation. From 17 to 19 April, I personally led a visit to Trinidad and Tobago, accompanied by the members of the Group of Experts. During the visit, I had an opportunity to hear first hand from the acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago of their efforts to implement resolution 1540 (2004). The discussions demonstrated the high level of commitment and determination by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago towards the full and effective implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). That was the first visit to a State of the Latin American and Caribbean region, and the first one to be led by the Chair of the 1540 Committee. Since the previous briefing, the 1540 Committee has also received invitations to carry out similar visits from Grenada, Mozambique and the Republic of Moldova. In accordance with resolution 1977 (2011) and within its mandate, the 1540 Committee has continued to engage in various outreach activities to serve its objectives. Since 14 November 2012, the 1540 Committee and its experts participated in 33 outreach events organized by various international, regional and subregional organizations in collaboration with various Governments and, in many cases, with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. From a thematic point of view, those outreach events promoted the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) through direct action with States by Committee members and the Group of Experts to help enhance their national implementation arrangements. In addition, visits were conducted specifically to review particular issues such as export and border controls, nuclear security, biosecurity, industry outreach and proliferation financing. In the spirit of transparency required by resolution 1977 (2011), information about those outreach events is posted on the 1540 Committee website. While some of those activities have been conducted directly with States, we have found regional organizations particularly helpful as key players in the facilitation and the successful conduct of those events. For example, to further cooperation between the Committee and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), I will take part in the meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation to be held in Vienna on 15 May. Paragraphs 14 and 18 of resolution 1977 (2011) call upon the relevant international, regional and subregional organizations to designate and provide the 1540 Committee with a point of contact or coordinator for the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and for assistance. I would like to note that, since the prevous briefing, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the United States of America, the Republic of Korea and Austria have either submitted or updated their point-of-contact information. For intergovernmental organizations, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has revised its point-of-contact information, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has designated its point of contact. That will further facilitate cooperation with the Committee to implement the resolution. On February 27, the Committee sent out letters requesting all Member States to submit information on their 1540 implementation status, as well as on points of contact. Such a living network of contacts could serve to improve communication and interaction with and among States. I would take this opportunity to request the cooperation of all Member States in that regard. The Committee also continued its interaction in that area with academic institutions, civil society and representatives of industry, as appropriate. Let me note that, in February, I had a meeting with Ms. Mireille Ballesrazzi, President of the INTERPOL Executive Committee, to discuss future cooperation. INTERPOL indicated that the 1540 obligations could be incorporated into its law enforcement capacity- building programmes. INTERPOL will also join the list of potential assistance providers in that regard. Transparency is an essential principle guiding the work and activities of the Committee. In accordance with resolution 1977 (2011), the Committee continued to institute transparency measures and activities, including by making the fullest possible use of its website. The Committee’s working group on transparency and media outreach is currently discussing the future media strategy of the Committee, including with regard to the upcoming tenth anniversary of the resolution. From 22 to 24 April, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia organized a workshop in New York, focused on the League of Arab States, on the theme “Preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-State actors: the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in the Arab World”. The event was a good example of a State’s promotion of awareness of the obligations under resolution 1540 (2004) and of the practical implementation of the resolution’s provisions within the region. It was one of a series that also included training for customs officials in collaboration with the World Customs Organization. I would like to conclude by reiterating my commitment to the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). As we celebrate its tenth anniversary next year, we will work at full throttle to fully consolidate universal political will towards the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors. At the same time, the Committee will continue to address all aspects of the resolution in order to leave no stone unturned. In that regard, we particularly look forward to closer and more practical cooperation with the Committees, and to hearing new ideas to improve our joint efforts to counter the scourge of terrorism. For our part, we believe that closer cooperation among us is vital and that, in particular, we should make every effort to support one another’s outreach activities, as consistent with our respective mandates.

I thank Ambassador Kim Sook for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ambassador Quinlan.

The threat posed by Al-Qaida to international peace and security remains a pressing aspect of a number of issues on the Council’s agenda, not only in its deliberations on international terrorism, but also across country situations, including Somalia, Mali and Yemen. Since the most recent report (see S/PV.6862) of the Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, Al-Qaida affiliates in the Maghreb have waged a vicious insurgency in Mali, threatening the viability of that State and security in the region. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula continued to be a strong factor affecting the ongoing security situation in Yemen, and Al-Shabaab remained an ongoing threat to the security environment in Somalia. In today’s briefing I will focus on the principal areas of work of the Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee since the adoption of resolution 2083 (2012), last December. The first is about effectively addressing the evolving threat to international peace and security posed by Al-Qaida and its affiliates, with a particular focus on the Committee’s work in addressing recent challenges posed in Mali and the Sahel region by Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, the Mouvement pour l’unification et le jihad en Afrique de l’Ouest and the Ansar Eddine. The second area concerns ensuring that regimes’ application remains relevant and effective, and the third that the sanctions regime has clear and effective procedures. A more detailed version of this statement will be distributed in hard copy today and made available on the Committee’s website. Since my predecessor’s last briefing, in December, the threat to international peace and security from Al-Qaida has continued to evolve as Al-Qaida affiliates have exploited local grievances in order to further Al-Qaida’s global agenda. In accordance with its mandate under resolution 2083 (2012), the Committee has been working to ensure that the regime remains relevant and effective in response to that evolving threat. In particular, since its most recent report to the Council, the Committee has sought to improve the application of 1267 sanctions to address the threat posed by Al-Qaida and its affiliates in Mali and the Sahel. In resolutions 2100 (2013) and 2085 (2012), the Council reiterated its readiness to sanction further individuals, groups, undertakings and entities who do not cut off all ties to Al-Qaida and associated groups. In response, the Committee has applied the sanctions to the Mouvement pour l’unification et le jihad en Afrique de l’Ouest and to Ansar Eddine, entities closely linked to the organization of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, as well as to the leaders of, and other individuals associated with, those groups. The Committee’s efforts to ensure that the Al-Qaida sanctions list reflects the nature of the threat posed by Al-Qaida and its affiliates in Mali and the Sahel are part of a sustained drive to make full use of the tools available in the context of the Al-Qaida sanctions regime to counter the evolving threat. To that end, as directed by the Council in paragraph 62 of resolution 2083 (2012), the Committee held a special meeting on 9 April to consider ways by which the 1267 regime could improve its response to the latest developments of Al-Qaida in the Sahel and Mali, including outreach and technical-support activities to the region on implementing and applying the sanctions measures. The meeting brought together the Monitoring Team, the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force, as well as other relevant departments and offices of the United Nations. It highlighted the need for continued monitoring of the role of those groups in Mali and the Sahel, with a more central role for capacity-building efforts in the counter-terrorism realm. In that regard, the Committee and the Monitoring Team look forward to constructive engagement and cooperation with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, as requested by the Council in paragraph 31 of resolution 2100 (2013). The Committee is making every effort to ensure that the sanctions framework is as effective a tool as possible in preventing Al-Qaida and its affiliates from threatening international peace and security. Part of that effort requires that the Al-Qaida sanctions list be as up-to-date and accurate as possible, to facilitate the implementation of the measures. The Committee considers it extremely important that individuals confirmed to be deceased are removed from the list, while ensuring that any assets forming part of the deceased’s estate, if unfrozen, are not used in connection with activities threatening international peace and security. In that regard, the Committee de-listed Osama Bin Laden on 21 February. In accordance with paragraph 32 of resolution 2083 (2012), the Committee will ensure that assets frozen as a result of Osama Bin Laden’s listing will not be transferred to listed individuals or entities, or otherwise used for terrorist purposes, in line with resolution 1373 (2001). The Committee is pleased to inform the Council that it has begun to implement the special agreement it concluded with INTERPOL facilitating the exchange of information between the Committee and INTERPOL and streamlining the maintenance of joint United Nations-INTERPOL special notices. That can be expected to improve the quality of information on the Al-Qaida sanctions list and enhance the implementation of the measures via INTERPOL’s special-notice distribution system. The Committee has also continued its periodic review of the sanctions list, focusing particular attention on entries that lack identifiers necessary to ensure effective implementation of the measures, entries of entities that are reported or confirmed to have ceased to exist, and entries that have not been reviewed in three or more years. The responsiveness of Member States remains crucial for the successful implementation of those reviews. Through the adoption of resolution 2083 (2012), the Security Council has further enhanced the fairness of the sanctions framework through the introduction of provisions giving individuals and entities on the sanctions list the ability to submit requests for exemptions to the assets-freeze and travel-ban measures, through the focal-point mechanism established in resolution 1730 (2006), for the consideration of the Sanctions Committee. The Council has also authorized the Ombudsperson to request that the Committee consider exemptions to the travel ban for the purpose of allowing petitioners to travel to another State to be interviewed by the Ombudsperson. The Committee has introduced these changes into the guidelines for the conduct of its work, setting forth clear procedures to be followed by listed individuals and entities wishing to avail themselves of those new provisions. Furthermore, the Committee has implemented the provisions of paragraph 12 of resolution 2083 (2012), which reverse the assumption that a State proposing an individual or entity for listing wishes to have its status as a designating State kept confidential, by dispatching letters to all designating States on file to solicit their views as to whether the Committee or Ombudsperson may make their status as a designating State known. The Office of the Ombudsperson continues to fulfil a key role in supporting the Committee’s efforts to ensure that the application of sanctions continues to reflect the current threat posed by Al-Qaida and its affiliates. Since the most recent briefing to the Council, the Committee has delisted five individuals and retained two listings on the basis of reports submitted by the Ombudsperson. In addition, as of 9 May, three comprehensive reports of the Ombudsperson were under consideration by the Committee, and the Ombudsperson had one case in the dialogue phase and 11 cases in the information gathering phase. Since the most recent briefing to the Security Council (see S/PV.6862), the Committee has also provided reasons to petitioners, both in cases where the Committee has acceded to or rejected delisting requests, through the Ombudsperson. The provision of reasoned decisions to the Ombudsperson for onward transmittal to the petitioner is a significant indicator that fair and clear procedures exist within the Al-Qaida sanctions framework. The Committee will continue to pay heed to due process principles to ensure that the listing and delisting process is imbued with fairness and transparency. I now turn to my concluding observations. The events of the past few months in Mali and the Sahel region have illustrated the continued threat to international peace and security posed by Al-Qaida and affiliated groups. The Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee’s efforts to comprehensively address that issue included, for the first time, a special meeting held pursuant to paragraph 62 of resolution 2083 (2012). That is a valuable forum, which the Committee will use, as appropriate, in other relevant contexts. We should not forget, however, that the Al-Qaida sanctions regime can only be as effective as the sum of its parts, and a key element of that framework is the application of the measures. The Committee endeavours to keep the list as updated and accurate as possible through specialized reviews, the success of which to a large part depends upon Member State engagement. I therefore call on all Member States to continue their positive engagement with the Committee. In concluding, I would also like to recognize the efforts of the Monitoring Team, without which the Committee simply would not be able to do its work.

I thank Ambassador Quinlan for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ambassador Loulichki.

It gives me great pleasure to brief the Security Council today on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001). The most recent briefing was held in November 2012 (see S/PV.6862). The Committee continues to be guided in its work by the relevant Security Council resolutions, especially resolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005) and 1963 (2010), and continues to play a critical role in promoting and facilitating their implementation. In accordance with its programme of work for 2013, the Committee is organizing a special meeting, open to the wider United Nations membership, and two other special events focused on key aspects of the Committee’s mandate. The first special event, to be held on 24 May, will focus on countering terrorism through the use of new communication and information technologies. In organizing the event, the Committee seeks to explore with Member States recent technological advances, good practices and effective measures taken, in particular, in the areas of the movement of persons, mobile telecommunications and the Internet, within the framework of implementing resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). The Committee looks forward to the participation of all Member States in that interactive discussion. The Committee will also organize a special meeting on enhancing cooperation and technical assistance to States in the Sahel region to strengthen their capacity in the global fight against terrorism. That special meeting is expected to take place in the last quarter of 2013. The Committee has agreed to hold a third special event, on enhancing the capacity of States to counter terrorism at their borders through technical assistance and the sharing of good practices. The Committee will further explore a possible link between that topic and the one selected for the special meeting. Furthermore, as part of its outreach efforts, the Committee will continue to explore the possibility of collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union. In December 2013, the Committee will submit to the Security Council a report on the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) for consideration by the Council as part of its comprehensive review of the Executive Directorate. In accordance with Security Council resolution 1963 (2010), the Committee will submit the report to the Council prior to the expiration of the Executive Directorate’s mandate, on 31 December. Through CTED, the Committee has completed the replacement of the preliminary implementation assessment by the detailed implementation survey, and the overview of implementation assessment. The new diagnostic tools were the object of a briefing to Member States that I had the pleasure to chair last week. They will allow for an enhancement of the Committee’s work in identifying challenges faced by Member States and facilitate the delivery of targeted technical assistance in that regard. The Committee continues to focus on region-specific discussions and on issues identified in the 2011 global survey. The Committee also continues to organize and participate in discussions and workshops on thematic issues. Some of the major thematic issues considered by the Committee during the past six months include the facilitation of technical assistance by the Counter-Terrorism Committee and CTED, alternative remittance systems and the Committee’s cooperation and dialogue with the relevant international and regional organizations, in particular the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism. CTED has also been active in conducting a number of workshops on specific topics. Important workshops organized during the period under review include the initial global meeting on effective international cooperation by central authorities, which took place in Cartagena, Colombia, from 19 to 21 February; the fourth seminar of the Counter-Terrorism Committee on the theme “Bringing terrorists to justice: policy challenges in the prosecution and prevention of terrorism”, which took place in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, from 26 to 28 February; the final workshop led by CTED on behalf of the Working Group on Tackling the Financing of Terrorism of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), aimed at protecting non-profit organizations from terrorist financing abuse, which took place on 5 and 6 March; the conference on border control cooperation in the Sahel and the Maghreb, which took place in Rabat from 13 to 15 March; the sixth regional workshop for police officers, prosecutors and judges in South Asia on effectively countering terrorism, which took place in Kathmandu from 18 to 20 March; and, lastly, the first regional workshop for law enforcement officers and prosecutors in East Africa on effectively countering terrorism and bringing terrorists to justice, which took place in Kampala from 7 to 9 May. Upcoming workshops that CTED is active organizing or co-organizing in the coming weeks include the joint Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and CTED workshop on special investigative techniques, which will take place in Strasbourg, France, on 14 and 15 May; the regional workshop on controlling the cross-border movement of cash and bearer-negotiable instruments, to take place in Pretoria on 27 and 28 May; the East Africa regional workshop on assets-freezing requirements of resolution 1373 (2001), which will take place in Dar-es-Salaam from 4 to 6 June; and the second regional workshop on international joint investigations, which will take place in Langkawi, Malaysia, also from 4 to 6 June. In addition, the Committee and CTED continue to enhance their ongoing dialogue with Member States, donors and beneficiaries on the facilitation of technical assistance for capacity-building at the national and subregional levels. Since the most recent briefing to the Security Council (see S/PV.6862), CTED, on behalf of the Committee, has conducted four assessment missions to Member States: Qatar, Morocco and Serbia, as well as a fact-finding mission to Angola. I would like to emphasize that the Committee and CTED have continued and will continue to pay close attention to the question of respect for human rights and the rule of law in the counter-terrorism measures taken by States, in accordance with the relevant mandates conferred by the Security Council. The Committee and CTED continue to work closely with the relevant working groups of the CTITF, United Nations Centre for Counter-Terrorism and the Global Counter Terrorism Forum in order to support, coordinate and complement one another’s counter- terrorism endeavours. The Committee will continue to play a critical role in the global fight against terrorism, and will strive to do so in a more strategic and transparent manner so that it can more effectively contribute to the global counter- terrorism effort within the scope of its mandate. I would like to conclude by expressing my sincere appreciation and consideration to Mr. Mike Smith, Executive Director of CTED, and to his able team for their excellent work on the Committee’s behalf, and to thank the Secretariat for its valuable support.

I thank Ambassador Loulichki for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to members of the Council.

Two years after the death of Osama Bin Laden, we are reminded that terrorism remains one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Though Al-Qaida’s core is now weaker, the recent attacks in Boston and Mogadishu, Baghdad and Karachi remind us that, although we have made progress, the struggle to combat terrorism endures. We must continue to work together to adapt to evolving threats and terrorist tactics. We know the key components of a comprehensive United Nations approach to countering terrorism. Those include preventing the resurgence of Al-Qaida, building State capacity to counter terrorist threats, and making sure terrorists do not acquire the most dangerous weapons. The work of the Security Council’s three counter-terrorism Committees reflects this integrated approach. We commend the Committees and their expert groups for their outstanding work. We express particular gratitude to the new Chairs  — Australia, Morocco and the Republic of Korea  — for their leadership since January. The Al-Qaida sanctions regime remains one of the Council’s most effective tools for countering the growth of Al-Qaida and its affiliated groups. As a signal of the international community’s resolve, those sanctions identify the most dangerous individuals and entities affiliated with Al-Qaida. They also help stop attacks by limiting terrorists ability to travel, acquire weapons and finance their operations. Yet those sanctions work only if we implement them effectively. We therefore encourage States to propose listings to the Committee and to improve their capacities to enforce those measures. We would like to welcome Alexander Evans to his new role as Coordinator of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team. We encourage him and his Team, in collaboration with the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, to focus on implementation challenges, particularly in those States where sanctioned individuals and entities are located. The Committee’s recent meeting on terrorist threats in Mali is a great example of how we can best focus our attention on areas of key concern. Finally, we remain committed to ensuring that the Committee’s procedures are fair and we commend Ombudsperson Kimberley Prost for her vital work. The success of our counter-terrorism efforts will depend on States’ abilities to take effective action domestically. The Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) continue to help States to build those capacities. We commend the leadership of its Executive Director, Mike Smith, to whom we are grateful for his service over the past five years. The United States remains committed to supporting these capacity-building initiatives, including those focused on training police, judges, prosecutors and border security officials at the regional and subregional levels. We are pleased with the increased emphasis that CTED is placing on the promotion of the rule of law in its work and on the essential role of civil society. We are gratified by the growing number of joint projects involving both CTED and the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, thereby leveraging each entity’s comparative advantages. We hope that collaboration can be replicated within the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre as we continue to promote strategic coordination among the United Nations counter-terrorism entities. The appointment of a United Nations counter- terrorism coordinator, as proposed by the Secretary- General, would further strengthen and focus our collective counter-terrorism efforts. The United Nations should also continue to work with multilateral entities, such as the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum. Such collaboration can help build increased international capacity to bring terrorists to justice within a rule of law framework, counter violent extremism and prevent kidnapping for ransom. We also look forward to the United Nations developing a close partnership with the new International Center of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism in Abu Dhabi. The risk that non-State actors will gain access to weapons of mass destruction remains one of the greatest threats to international security. For nine years, the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) has been dealing with that threat. During that time, many countries have strengthened their laws, procedures and capabilities to deter and counter that threat. Many countries have improved the ability to stop the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their delivery systems. States have also bolstered their ability to stop the illicit spread of related materials to non-State actors. While that progress is welcome, the United States continues to urge all countries needing assistance in that field to request it. We also encourage those countries and other bodies capable of providing such assistance to offer it. We have donated a total of $4.5 million to the United Nations Trust Fund for Global and Regional Disarmament Activities to help implement resolution 1540 (2004), and we encourage others to contribute as well. We look forward to the development of the 1540 Committee’s twelfth programme of work. With a more robust Group of Experts and a mandate extending to 2021, the Committee has an opportunity to develop a strategic approach to meeting the goals set out in resolution 1540 (2004) for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) is a long-term process that requires engagement with regional, subregional and intergovernmental organizations, civil society and industry. The celebration of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004) next April will present an opportunity to expand outreach and focus on efforts needed to further implementation. We encourage the Council’s counter-terrorism Committees to guide and reinforce States’ actions to respond to that threat. Under the capable leadership of the Chairs, we think that the Committees have great potential to accelerate their contribution to our collective efforts to counter terrorism, as well as the violent ideology that underpins it.

We thank the Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Korea, Australia and Morocco for their detailed reports on the Committees they chair. We take note of their fruitful work in the context of their chairmanships. Terrorism, despite all of the efforts of the international community, remains one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. That is evidenced by the ongoing terrorist attacks in various areas of the world, to which innocent people, including children, daily fall victim. It is clear that terrorism adapts itself to new realities at breakneck speed, becoming ever more serious and acquiring new dimensions. More often than not, terrorist attacks are occurring in regions of the world where this phenomenon had never before been seen. Of most serious concern today are the developments in Syria and the region. Almost daily, the region is witnessing terrorist attacks, the uncontrolled proliferation of weapons and infiltration by combatants. We condemn in the strongest terms terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, by whomsoever committed. We expect other countries to take the same unwavering stance in combating this global scourge. Double standards, the categorization of terrorists as good or bad, and any attempts to justify barbaric activities are absolutely inadmissible. Against that backdrop, the activities of the three counter-terrorism Committees and the strengthening of their cooperation play a key role in increasing the effectiveness of the Security Council in the fight against terrorism. We believe that the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) is the cornerstone and the foundation of the United Nations counter-terrorism architecture. Recently the Chair of the CTC, Mr. Loulichki, briefed Member States on the updated format of the basic documents for the review of the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and improvements to the rules for its work with respect to the outcome of country visits. We are convinced that those reforms and the continuation of the practice of country visits will allow the CTC to more effectively carry out its mandate, complementing the process of the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy and the work being done in this area by the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. Given the growing instability in various regions of the world, we must prevent any further radicalization of populations and the triggering of sectarian or inter-religious clashes. In that regard, we deem of fundamental importance the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005), focusing on preventing terrorism, limiting the range of terrorist activities, combating the spread of terrorist ideology and violent extremism and the use of media and the Internet for terrorist purposes. Of particular importance here is the strengthening of the CTC’s contacts with organizations in the international arena in order to expand the network of counter-terrorism cooperation under the auspices of the United Nations. In that regard, we note the contacts of the CTC, as well as the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), with the Meeting of Heads of Special Services, Security Agencies and Law-Enforcement Organizations on terrorism-related issues, which was conducted by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. In our view, the briefing to the CTC by representatives of the Meeting have proved to be valuable. We continue to value the role of the Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) in providing assistance to the CTC. We should like to express our gratitude to the outgoing Executive Director, Mr. Smith, for his contribution to resolving the daunting challenges before the CTED under its mandate, as set out in resolution 1963 (2010). The 1267 and 1989 Committee remains one of the most effective mechanisms in the Security Council’s counter-terrorism efforts. Its sanctions list should adequately reflect the Al-Qaida threat, which, as recent events in the Arab world and in Africa show, remains significant. We support the proposal to include new entries on the list. We believe also that the Committee must swiftly respond to existing threats without excessive bureaucratic red tape and consider States’ listing requests, guided by its mandate to combat terrorism. However, the practice of the adoption of sanctions against individuals and entities involved in terrorist activities must continue to be based on a case-by-case approach, in line with the relevant procedures. The mandate of the Ombudsman on delisting and the procedure for considering requests for exclusion from the list set forth in resolution 2083 (2012) ensures optimal transparency in the work of the Committee. However, a more important task is enhancing the effectiveness of sanctions mechanisms, which is dependent on the implementation by Member States of their international obligations in that area. Unfortunately, as practice has shown, unresolved issues remain. These include, running counter to paragraph 4 of resolution 2083 (2012), the Kavkaz Center website, an information portal for the terrorist organization Emarat Kavkaz, which in July 2011 was included on the sanctions list. That site continues to promote terrorism and religious intolerance. Preventing weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery from falling into the hands of terrorists remains one of the most important challenges for the international community. A key instrument for doing so is resolution 1540 (2004), which provides, inter alia, for the implementation by Member States of the measures necessary to strengthen national systems for monitoring and control in the field of non-proliferation. Russia continues to support the implementation of that resolution by all countries, fully taking into account the complex and long-term nature of its requirements. We support the efforts of Ambassador Kim Sook to ensure the effective functioning of the 1540 Committee on a regular and predictable basis. The work of the Group of Experts has made a significant contribution to the Committee. In the context of the Committee’s activities during the past six months, we would highlight the report on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). In addition to being a review, it takes note of the progress made and charts a course for the future work of the Committee. With respect to future work, we suggest that the Committee attach greater importance to the issue of the provision of assistance to States in carrying out the tasks set out in resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee’s coordinating role in the relevant efforts of the international community is crucial. For its part, Russia will continue to actively participate in those activities, including in the context of our cooperation with the States members of the Commonwealth of Independent States on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).

Let me thank the Chairs of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004), Ambassadors Quinlan, Loulichki and Kim Sook, for their comprehensive briefings today and for the effective manner in which they have taken on leadership of those Committees. Terrorism continues to pose a grave threat to international peace and security. No Member State can adequately respond to the challenges of terrorism by acting alone. Only through continued cooperation will the international community be able to tackle a problem that transcends geographical borders. The United Nations has an important role to play. It is crucial that the States Members of the United Nations strive to work together in an ever more collaborative and comprehensive manner. True collaboration requires breadth and depth of cooperation. A comprehensive approach requires making full use of all the tools available to us. The three Committees under discussion today are powerful tools. We fail in our responsibilities if we do not use them effectively, thoroughly and creatively to combat the threat of terrorism. Al-Qaida sanctions play an important role in the fight against terrorism by imposing targeted financial sanctions on Al-Qaida operatives, denying them arms and restricting their travel, in other words, limiting their ability to carry out terrorist acts. The United Kingdom welcomes the recent unanimous adoption of resolution 2083 (2012), which, inter alia, extended the mandates of the Office of the Ombudsperson and the Monitoring Team. The United Kingdom would like to pay tribute both to Kimberley Prost and to the Monitoring Team for their continuing exemplary work. We will continue to work with members of the Sanctions Committee, the Ombudsperson and other interested parties to embed the changes agreed under the new resolution to further enhance the Committee’s important work. For the regime to be effective, sanctions must be diligently implemented. We welcome recent work by the Committee under Ambassador Quinlan’s leadership to focus on implementation, including through consideration of outreach and technical support activities. The threat that chemical, biological or nuclear materials may proliferate to terrorists has been a growing concern to the international community over the past decade. The year 2014 will mark the tenth anniversary of resolution 1540 (2004), the only international instrument designed to prevent terrorists from acquiring those weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). But the resolution will only ever be as effective as the will of the States Members of the United Nations to implement its measures. For that reason, the United Kingdom urges States that have yet to meet their reporting obligations to do so. We call on all States to design and execute national action plans to fight trafficking in WMDs. We realize that the immense scale of the challenge means that Governments and civil society must act in concert to fight the threat. We therefore urge States requiring support for implementation to approach the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) for assistance. Our goal must be universal implementation of the resolution by 2014, and to achieve that the Committee and its Group of Experts, whose work we commend, must also play their part in continuing to seek opportunities to form partnerships with international organizations and regional agencies that have the resources to match those requests for assistance, including by using the consolidated list of assistance requests as soon as possible. The United Kingdom continues to welcome the recognition by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) of the need for States to pursue a cooperative approach to defeat terrorism. We wish to mark our deep appreciation of Mr. Michael Smith’s very effective leadership of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate as he nears the completion of his term. Acts of terrorism and the threat of such acts touch on much of the work of the United Nations. It is important that all the relevant components of the United Nations system work together to counter terrorist challenges while avoiding duplication across its infrastructure. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force are key tools to that end. Today, in particular, the United Kingdom urges the three Committees whose reports we have heard to continue to intensify their collaborative efforts. We are grateful to Ambassador Kim Sook for his briefing on the joint work of the Committees and encourage further collaboration along those lines. The United Nations must also strive to work effectively as much as possible with other multinational organizations working on countering terrorism. For instance, we look forward to increased cooperation as a result of the regular European Union-United Nations counter-terrorism dialogue. The United Kingdom also recognizes the important contribution that the Global Counterterrorism Forum can make to tackling the terrorist threat and encourages the United Nations to continue its work with that body. The international community has a collective responsibility for tackling terrorism. Only through continued cooperation and recognition of the need to strengthen collaborative efforts will States be able to effectively counter terrorism.

Let me, first of all, express my thanks to the Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Korea, Morocco and Australia for their informative briefings and for the work they are doing at the head of the subsidiary bodies that they are chairing. I wish to express the gratitude of our delegation for the way in which they are conducting the work of the three Committees. Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a threat to human life and dignity, to peaceful coexistence and to international peace and security. In saying that, I also say that my country, Argentina, fully believes that the United Nations has a central role to play in the multilateral action being undertaken. We therefore believe that the General Assembly and the Security Council and its relevant bodies are the most appropriate forums for efficient action to prevent and eradicate terrorism. The work carried out by the three Committees we are considering today on combating terrorism is vital to ensuring effective action on the part of the international community in that regard. Therefore, continued cooperation among the Committees and its Groups of Experts will undoubtedly make a contribution to bolstering coordination and consistency across United Nations counter-terrorism activities. We also believe that holding open briefings is a very useful outreach tool to spread information about the work of the Committees and for maintaining an ongoing dialogue with all Member States, so much so that we must continue to stress that greater participation by Member States in open meetings of the Security Council is a goal worth achieving. A major challenge for the international community in combating terrorism is that of avoiding any chance of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and their delivery systems falling into the hands of terrorists. In that regard, resolution 1540 (2004) and its Committee is a key instrument in that it urges States to adopt or strengthen their national monitoring systems in order to prevent the proliferation of such weapons. Argentina is firmly committed to the non-proliferation of WMDs and their delivery systems, while it develops and implements dual-use technologies for peaceful purposes to further economic growth, scientific and technological innovation and sustainable development. In that respect, I wish to recall the fact that Argentina is the only Latin American country to be a part of the five export-control regimes. Furthermore, pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and subsequent resolutions, my country has submitted its national reports and updates highlighting the domestic legislation that has been adopted to comply with our international obligations and which is under constant discussion and review. In addition, Argentina is one of the six countries that, pursuant to resolution 1977 (2011), have submitted national action plans defining our priorities and plans in implementation of the fundamental provisions of resolution 1540 (2004). Beyond our national endeavours, we believe that the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) must be carried out through a regional approach adapted to the specificities of each instance, as the effective control of technologies and dual-use materials is possible only possible by means of real harmonization of operational and legislative efforts in each region. The Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) therefore carries out extremely important work in providing international assistance and cooperation, which, we believe, must be maintained and strengthened, thus building States’ capacities to implement the resolution. As we approach the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004) next year, Argentina, like others, believes that it is important for the Committee to adopt a creative approach, keeping in mind the specificities of each State to ensure the universal implementation of the resolution and submission of reports. The efficacy of international efforts to combat terrorism is contingent upon the ability of each State to adopt and implement national measures within the framework of the specific features of each region. In that regard, the Counter-Terrorism Committee plays an essential role in making the international community’s efforts more effective. We believe that the new diagnostic and assessment tools for implementation adopted by the Committee, the implementation assessment summary and the detailed implementation study will make it possible to improve the Committee’s work still further and will contribute to the fulfilment of its mandate as it completes the efforts of the United Nations in implementing its Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the work of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. We emphasize the importance of the special meeting held this year on strengthening cooperation and technical assistance to States of the Sahel region, as well as the special events on the use of new information and communications technologies in combatting terrorism and the strengthening of States’ capacities to fight terrorism on their borders. I also highlight the important work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate in assisting the Committee and in strengthening the capacities of States. I note in particular its work with respect to human rights as a cross-cutting element in the fight against terrorism. Argentina reaffirms that terrorism must be fought in the framework of the rule of law and respect for fundamental guarantees. In that context, I thank the Executive Directorate and the Committee for their visit to the Argentine Republic in 2012. We believe that visits to States are a very useful tool for monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) in the context of the circumstances of each country and the nature of the potential terrorist threats it faces. Finally, I refer to the work of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), concerning which we highlight the improvements made in the consideration of requests for exclusion, and in particular the work of the Ombudsman. On the basis of the independence that it has developed its work, we believe that proposals should be considered to strengthen its mandate and replicate its experience in other Sanctions Committees. We understand that the Security Council should continue to ensure that sanctions enforcement bodies become ever more efficient and transparent, and that they are endowed with appropriate mechanisms to follow up and review the measures taken. I reiterate our support for all initiatives that contribute to strengthening coordination and cooperation among the three Committees and their expert groups, including through information briefings like today’s. That will undoubtedly improve the Security Council’s contribution to the fight against terrorism, as it will encourage greater cooperation and commitment among Member States in improving the implementation of the relevant resolutions.

I would like first to thank the Ambassadors of Australia, Morocco and the Republic of Korea for their informative briefings and for the great skill and dedication with which they lead the subsidiary bodies of the Security Council under their respective responsibility. These joint meetings are very useful for examining terrorist threats from a wider perspective. They also contribute to strengthening the coordination and coherence of the activities of the system. With last year’s adoption of resolution 2083 (2012), we have helped to improve the effectiveness of the United Nations sanctions regime as a tool to combat terrorism and to strengthen the Organization’s legitimacy. However, this is an ongoing objective; much remains to be done and we are confident we will find a way to harmonize the political processes with the law. We look forward with interest to the forthcoming negotiations on renewing the mandate of the Committee established to resolution 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), which will offer an opportunity to improve and strengthen the credibility of the sanctions regime. The process of including and removing names on the list should be guided by the same set of principles: fairness, credibility and transparency. Only thus can we ensure that sanctions lists are truly effective. We hope that as we move forward, we will keep this crucial requirement in mind above all. It is essential that all sanctions regimes established by the Security Council be fair and transparent in their operation. They must ensure due process in their working procedures and decision-making. Important steps to tat end include enhancing the powers of the Ombudsperson and reforms of the delisting procedures. The Ombudsperson is now better positioned to play an important role in helping people in the consideration of their cases. We must ensure that this is done in a way that strengthens our ability to combat terrorism, and that it has no impact on the functioning of other sanctions regimes. Of particular interest to us would be extend the mandating of the Ombudsperson to cover all Sanctions Committees. I congratulate Kimberly Prost for the independence, professionalism and courage with which she performs your job. We commend the role of the Monitoring Team of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) at a time when the nature of the threat is evolving, and we recommend seeking ways to update the sanctions provided for in resolution 1267 (1999). This regime of sanctions is one of the most important multilateral tools for combating terrorism available to the international community. Mr. Evans and his team have our full support in the effective discharge of its mandate. In regard to the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), the terrorist attacks that have occurred recently are another sad reminder to us all that we must stay the course towards achieving the goals we have set in order to combat and ultimately eliminate terrorism. This work began with the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001). We note that the United Nations has made significant progress in the fight against terrorism since the adoption of that resolution. The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate deserves special mention for its contribution to helping States keep up with the evolution of the risks and threats posed by terrorism. The close interaction of the Executive with Member States is a prerequisite for the effectiveness of the work of the Committee and the full implementation of the commitments made in the fight against terrorism. We also commend the hard work of the Executive Directorate at the conclusion of the review of instruments for the assessment of the implementation of the resolution. The revised evaluation process not only ensures transparency, consistency and objectivity in the summaries of the Committee, but also extends many areas of cooperation between the Committee and Member States. We encourage to the Executive Directorate to pursue its activities in capacity-building and offering technical assistance to countries that request it. Of particular importance is the need for greater emphasis on the conditions conducive to the existence and spread of terrorism. We believe that the effectiveness of our efforts in the fight against terrorism is related to our ability to successfully meet the economic, social and political that often feed this phenomenon. Finally, we support the initiatives of the Counter- Terrorism Committee aimed at promoting the implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). We commend the Committee for defining such thematic issues as the role of central authorities in improving international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. We look forward to the scheduled events in 2013. Finally, regarding the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), there is no doubt that resolution 1540 (2004) is an important complementary tool for preventing weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related materials from falling into the hands of non-State actors, in particular terrorists. The Council recognizes the value of the Committee and the importance of its work, as demonstrated by the renewal of its mandate until 2021 through resolution 1977 (2011), which also defines the role of the Security Council in these areas and creates conditions for promoting related multilateral efforts. The 1540 Committee plays a key role in coordinating and increasing the effectiveness of these efforts. As the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004) approaches, we believe that its chairmanship is leading the Committee down the right track, inter alia, by exploring ways to improve the implementation of the resolution and the number of reports by Member States. Likewise, it is important that the Committee and its Group of Experts continue to promote furthering intensification by the international community of its activities to combat proliferation risks and threats. In particular, we believe that cooperation between the Committee and international organizations, including the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), concerning counter-terrorism, must be continued and deepened. The 1540 Committee is furthermore an indispensible mechanism for the support and assistance it provides to Member States in strengthening and developing their capacities to tackle those threats. Guatemala recognizes and welcomes that work and we urge the Committee to continue seeking means to facilitate communication between donors and States that request assistance. We accord the highest importance to the work of the Group of Experts established by resolution 1977 (2011). In that context, we welcome that the Group’s new experts have already taken up their duties, as noted in the previous briefing. Without the support provided by those experts to Member States, and to developing countries in particular, it would be very difficult for us to establish action plans, produce national reports or make progress on measures to implement the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004). Furthermore, the Group of Experts provides significant support to the Committee’s working groups. We reiterate that it would be useful to diversify the Group of Experts, in particular by incorporating experts from developing countries. Such a decision would be very helpful in promoting ever greater understanding and application regarding these important issues among a great number of Member States. We reaffirm our unequivocal commitment to achieving the goals of a safer world, free of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. We therefore attach great importance to this Committee and have, since the beginning of the year, been honoured to coordinate the working group on monitoring and national implementation, in which we hope to make a constructive contribution to the work of the Committee.

Let me join others in thanking Ambassadors Kim Sook of the Republic of Korea, Gary Quinlan of Australia and Mohammed Loulichki of Morocco for their respective statements. I take this opportunity to commend their efforts and the activities undertaken by their respective Committees under their able leadership. We welcome the holding of this briefing today, which we believe is timely, ahead of the debate on the challenges of the debate on the challenges of the fight against terrorism against Africa to be presided over on Monday by His Excellency Mr. Faure Gnassingbé, President of Togo. We believe that the focus on this topic in the month of May demonstrates the commitment of Togo and African countries to combat terrorism on the continent and in every corner of the world. My delegation welcomes the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s initiative to organize a special event this year focusing on a key aspect for the Committee’s mandate. We welcome in particular the topics chosen for the special events — the use of communication and information technologies, technical assistance to States in the Sahel and enhancing the capacity of States to counter terrorism. Indeed, those topics address the main concerns of the moment in the fight against terrorism. In the same vein, we express our continued engagement with international and regional partners, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to contribute to enhanced coordination of international efforts to prevent and combat terrorism. We applaud the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, for its continued contribution to the fight against terrorism. We commend the transparent work of the Ombudsperson and support the regular review of the Al-Qaida sanctions list as an essential element for maintaining accuracy and responding to the changing nature of the threat. We therefore urge designated States to cooperate and share information with the Ombudsperson in order to better serve justice. We further welcome the listing of Malian terrorist groups, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in Western Africa and Ansar Dine, for their close ties with Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, as well as other individuals associated with those groups. We are alarmed by the scourge of terrorism in Mali and the African continent, and we hope that the 1267-1989 Committee will plan an important role in that regard, in full cooperation with national Governments and with peacekeeping missions, such as the newly established United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. We encourage the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate to support and coordinate with the African Centre for Studies and Research on Terrorism, whose mission is to strengthen among between African countries in order to prevent and combat terrorism and to assist in the full implementation of international conventions relating to terrorism. Rwanda is firmly committed to the non-proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as they continue to threaten international peace and security. We are deeply concerned by information on the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict, and we hope that investigations will continue to be carried out in an independent manner to shed light on this serious development in the Syrian conflict. Rwanda is committed to the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and we are encouraged by the fact that ever more countries are submitting national reports. We call on the remaining countries to submit their reports, and we hope that they will continue to benefit form the support of the Committee and the Group of Experts in order to ensure that all countries are on-board by the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004), in April next year. We take this opportunity to commend the efforts of the 1540 Committee in raising global awareness about the resolution, in strengthening the capacity of States, in improving mechanisms for sharing best practices and in promoting synergy with other international organizations and United Nations institutions, in particular the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. We emphasize the need to collaborate with regional and subregional organizations, in particular the African Union. In that regard, we believe that the practice of holding workshops on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) specifically organized for African States must be pursued, as the remaining countries are mainly on the African continent. It is encouraging that the three Committees are closely cooperating on key thematic areas of interest to all by coordinating on the implementation of projects, regularly exchanging information and best practices, as well as improving collaboration with regional and subregional organizations. We encourage them to strengthen that cooperation, in particular by implementing the specific recommendations that Ambassador Kim Sook presented in his joint statement on behalf of the three Chairs. In conclusion, we once again commend the efforts of the three Committees to enhancing the visibility of United Nations counterterrorism activities, the fight against weapons of mass destruction and cooperation with global and regional organizations with a view to making the world a safer place.

We thank Ambassadors Kim, Quinlan and Loulichki, Chairs, respectively, of the Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, the Counterterrorism Committee and the 1540 Committee, for their briefings today. We appreciate the efforts made by the three Committees to promote greater transparency and dialogue with Member States. Pakistan’s comprehensive approach to counter- terrorism is based on three “Ds”, namely, deterrence, development and dialogue. Deterrence is necessary to impede, impair, isolate and incapacitate the terrorist threat. Development helps to meet basic human needs, build community resilience and prevent terrorism. Dialogue is equally important: those who are willing to renounce violence should be brought back to national and societal mainstreams. Terrorism continues to mutate into new and more sinister forms. Terrorists use new information and communication technologies, as well as the Internet, for recruitment and incitement and for planning and financing their activities. We should address the root causes of terrorism; deprivation, marginalization, exclusion and stereotyping often create the conditions for a drift towards terrorism. That drift should be halted. Our collective and national measures to counter all forms of financing of terrorism, including through the proceeds of organized crime and illicit narcotics trafficking, should be made more effective. Counter- terrorism efforts must adapt to such challenges and develop strategies for real-time quick responses. We agree with the Chair of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities that Al-Qaida still poses a serious threat to international peace and security. The experiment of focusing the 1989 Committee’s work on Africa is timely. Today, the traditional Al-Qaida organization is a shadow of its former self. The nature of the threat, even if diffused, is much more complex. Al-Qaida has splintered into disparate cells. Its affiliates thrive on local grievances; many do not have a global agenda. Moreover, the phenomenon of individuals radicalized by extremist websites is not always based on their formal association with or membership of Al-Qaida or other terrorist groups. In many instances, terrorists do not require elaborate financing arrangements or visits to training camps and safe havens. All that is needed is electronic safe havens and some websites providing inspiration and training materials. We hope that while addressing traditional issues, such as travel bans and assets-freezes, in an effective manner, the Committee will also pay attention to the changing forms of the threat posed by Al-Qaida affiliates and self-radicalized individuals or lone wolves. We appreciate the recent efforts to introduce fair and clear procedures into the Al-Qaida Committee and to strengthen the role of the Ombudsperson. It remains to be seen whether those changes will satisfy courts around the world, since the legal community is more likely to require verifiable evidence that is acceptable in a court of law. The questions of due process and effective remedy are at the heart of courts’ deliberations. We hope that the Ombudsperson’s positive contribution will have an exemplary effect on other sanctions regimes. We support the work of the Monitoring Team on updating narrative summaries of reasons for listing, and welcome its new head, Mr. Alexander Evans. We support the efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to build States’ capacities to implement resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). We appreciate the Committee’s focus on the use of new communication technologies and technical assistance in the Sahel region in its planned special events later this year. We commend Mr. Mike Smith for his outstanding leadership of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). CTED has done substantial work in updating the format of the preliminary implementation assessment. Even if all questions of the newly introduced detailed implementation survey are not strictly based on resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005), we are confident that it will prove to be a useful diagnostic tool for facilitating technical assistance to Member States. The CTED seminars on specific teams and various regions have been useful. We are planning to hold our regional seminar on counter-terrorism for police officers, prosecutors and judges in South Asia in Islamabad in the near future. Pakistan has made considerable progress in countering terrorist financing and controlling borders. We have deployed 150,000 troops on the Pakistan- Afghanistan border, and set up 822 posts in order to intercept Al-Qaida and Taliban members. Pakistan has become a party to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, and has enacted a landmark anti-money-laundering law. A financial monitoring unit has been established in the State Bank of Pakistan to track suspicious financial transactions. Hundreds of bank accounts have been frozen. We are implementing the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force. Pakistan is an active member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering. Since the most recent briefing to the Council (S/PV.6862), Pakistan’s Parliament has passed two new laws on counter-terrorism and a national counter-terrorism authority. The full and effective implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) by all States remains one of the key tools for preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors. The Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and its Group of Experts play an important and complementary role in relation to the treaty-based regimes and international organizations in the field of non-proliferation. We support the efforts undertaken by the 1540 Committee and its experts in areas such as awareness-raising, outreach implementation and assistance in capacity-building. We commend the Group of Experts’ valuable assistance to the Committee, and particularly recognize the professional contribution of Mr. Terence Taylor and his able associates. In our view, the long-term impact and success of the 1540 Committee will depend on the role it can play in mobilizing assistance to Member States. Assistance in capacity-building should be the Committee’s cornerstone for ensuring effective national implementation by States. We support efforts to promote cooperation and coordination among the subsidiary bodies of the Council. That objective is best served when such joint activities are consistent with the mandate, independence and nature of the work of each subsidiary body and group of experts.

I would like to thank Ambassadors Kim Sook, Quinlan and Loulichki for their briefings. I appreciate their leadership roles as the Chairs of, respectively, the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, and the Counter- Terrorism Committee (CTC). China appreciates the efforts of the 1540 Committee to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions. We support it in its steady and reliable work in raising Member States’ awareness of resolution 1540 (2004), as well as in promoting the exchange of experiences and assistance among them and their achievement of various resolution goals in a comprehensive, balanced and effective manner. We hope they will smoothly complete the annual renewal of their programmes of work. China is ready to work together with all in participating in the Committee’s work and advancing the international non-proliferation process. The Al-Qaida Committee remains an important mechanism for counter-terrorism at the Security Council’s disposal. In accordance with resolutions 1989 (2011) and 2083 (2012), it recently updated its guidelines, improved its exemptions procedures, strengthened its review of listing and delisting requests and updated its sanctions list, while maintaining good cooperation with the Ombudsperson and the Monitoring Team. China appreciates all these efforts. We support the Committee as it continues to work in a cautious, objective and organized fashion, and we hope that Member States will continue to support and cooperate with its work in order to protect the authority and effectiveness of the sanctions regime. China appreciates the efforts of the CTC in comprehensively implementing resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). We support its work, carried out with the help of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, in improving the preliminary implementation assessment and related work, promoting the exchange of information and experiences, and providing technical assistance through workshops and other activities, such as the special events on enhancing cooperation and technical assistance to States in the Sahel region to strengthen their capacity in the global fight against terrorism and on enhancing the capacity of States to counter terrorism at their borders through technical assistance the sharing of good practices. We hope the Committee will continue its dialogue with Member States, strengthen its cooperation with other United Nations agencies and help Member States, especially developing countries, in capacity-building in the fight against terrorism. China rejects terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. China rejects any double standard in dealing with counter-terrorism. We support the United Nations and the Security Council in the international cooperative effort against terrorism. We hope that the international community will continue to cooperate in the common effort to prevent and combat terrorism.

I would like to begin by thanking Ambassadors Kim Sook, Gary Quinlan and Mohammed Loulichki for their briefings and extensive updates on actions taken over the past six months. We are grateful for their excellent work and leadership of the Security Council Committees with counter-terrorism mandates. Although the international community has achieved remarkable progress in countering terrorism, more should be done to prevent and combat that scourge. Terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security and to the political independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and social and economic development of all States. Azerbaijan has consistently and continually taken measures to implement its respective international obligations and to contribute to international counter- terrorism efforts. We know all about the scourge of terrorism, and not from hearsay. My country has repeatedly been a target of terrorist attacks that have claimed the lives of thousands of our citizens. It was therefore no coincidence that Azerbaijan decided to focus on strengthening international cooperation in the implementation of counter-terrorism obligations as a central theme of its presidency of the Security Council in 2012. As an important outcome of that, a presidential statement (S/PRST/2012/17) was adopted. On 18 and 19 March, we hosted an international conference on strengthening cooperation in preventing terrorism, which was jointly organized by the Government of Azerbaijan, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and attended by representatives of over 50 States and international organizations, including the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). The objective of the conference was to focus on cooperation in developing and undertaking measures to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, dialogue, understanding and countering stereotypes and the appeal of terrorism, and the role of international partners in building State capacity to prevent and combat terrorism. The role and work of all three Committees in the prevention and response to terrorist threats remain vitally important. Azerbaijan strongly supports the close cooperation and effective coordination among the Committees and their groups of experts. During the reporting period, the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) continued to successfully implement its mandate by supporting and assisting Member States in preventing terrorist acts, both within their respective territories and across regions. We commend CTED for its close interaction with Member States, including country visits, which continue to contribute to the effectiveness of both the Committee’s work and the full implementation of counter-terrorism commitments. Azerbaijan supported the proposed subjects for the special meeting and two other special events that covered emerging issues of international concern, and we are confident that they will help to raise awareness and reveal the shortcomings in the fight against terrorism. The revision of documents and procedures related to the assessment of Member States’ implementation of the Security Council’s counter-terrorism resolutions was an important milestone in the Committee’s work during the reporting period. We agree with the Chair of the Committee that the revised documents will facilitate the identification of challenges faced by Member States and the delivery of targeted technical assistance in that regard. Significant steps were taken during the reporting period to reinforce the procedures of the Al-Qaida sanctions regime. We note some important changes introduced by the adoption of resolution 2083 (2012), in particular the extension of the mandate of the Monitoring Team and the Office of the Ombudsperson, which will contribute to strengthening due process and transparency. We reiterate the importance of the Office of the Ombudsperson as an essential element of fairness in the application of the sanctions regime. The work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) remains of vital importance. We take positive note of a number of important events held during the reporting period in various countries, focused on promoting the goals of resolution 1540 (2004) and on capacity-building and assistance. I take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for having organized, last month, a high-level event on preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-State actors and the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in the Arab world. Areas of armed conflict, especially territories under foreign military occupation, often create conditions conducive to exploitation by terrorist, separatist and other non-State actors. The accumulation of a great number of armaments and munitions in places beyond the reach of international control and the risk of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related materials to non-State actors pose a serious threat to international peace and security that requires the diligent implementation by all States of their respective commitments and strengthened cooperation among them in order to effectively address such challenges. Last but not least, the war on terrorism should not be used to target any particular religion or culture. That principle must be part and parcel of any counter-terrorism strategy. We stress the vital need for joint efforts and dialogue to counter defamatory manifestations and misconceptions, in particular within the framework of such initiatives as the culture of peace and the Alliance of Civilizations.

I naturally align myself with the statement to be made by the observer of the European Union. I would like to thank Ambassadors Kim, Quinlan and Loulichki for their briefings. We note in particular that in the joint briefing, the opportunities for synergies between the Committees was highlighted. With respect to the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), we highlight once again the extent to which the threat from Al-Qaida, in various forms and degrees, continues to affect every Member State. The most visible and the most worrying manifestation are spreading to cover entire regions. TheAl-Qaida Sanctions Committee plays an indispensable role in addressing that threat. Its decisions, which must be implemented by all, are an essential tool. If this system is to continue to be effective, several elements are, in our view, crucial. First, the list of persons and entities subject to sanctions should follow the evolution of the threat, and the adoption of resolution 2089 (2012) in December 2012, by extending the criteria for listing, has contributed to that. The regular updating of the list is essential. To that end, we encourage all Member States to continue to submit to the Committee requests for inclusions on the list, so that the list can best reflect the state of the threat. It is indeed in that spirit that the Security Council has called for the adoption of sanctions against groups linked to Al-Qaida operating in Mali, including the Movement for Unity and Jihad in Western Africa and Ansar Dine. In that regard, I would like to commend the initiative taken by the Australian presidency to organize thematic meetings on those groups. If the list is to be credible, the mechanism and procedures for delisting must respect the fundamental freedoms of people on the list. By creating and then strengthening the mandate of the Ombudsperson, recent resolutions have allowed for progress to be made towards that goal by improving safeguards. The adoption of resolution 2089 (2013) has strengthened the institution of the Ombudsperson by making it sustainable and by improving support and increasing the transparency of its procedures. The work of Ms. Prost remains essential for us. With regard to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), France attaches particular importance to its work in promoting the exchange of experiences. The presentation made yesterday by Saudi Arabia from the Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef Centre for Counselling and Care is an example of that. We also welcome the initiative taken by the Moroccan Chair to organize special meetings on specific themes. Capacity-building in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel States and the prevention of terrorism through new technologies are excellent topics that will give added value to our work. I further wish to acknowledge the work done by Mike Smith and the entire Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate in helping the Committee to revise the procedures by which States report on their implementation of the resolutions to the Committee. I note in particular the meeting on 2 May that introduced new evaluation documents, which was an excellent initiative. The large number of participants are a testament to the relevance of that tool. With regard to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), like others I underscore the fact that the possibility that radiological, biological, chemical or nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of non-State actors or terrorists is a real danger that concerns us all. Resolution 1540 (2004) plays a key role in the prevention of those risks. In that regard, we welcome the progress achieved in the implementation of the resolution since its adoption in 2004. Today, a large majority of States have taken steps to implement the provisions of that resolution. Universality seems achievable. We commend the efforts of the South Korean chairmanship to bring us as close as possible to universality on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the resolution in 2014. Now fully staffed, the Group of Experts will be all the more able to assist the Committee in its outreach work. Country visits allow for privileged dialogue on the implementation of the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004). In that connection, we welcome the recent trip of Ambassador Kim Sook and that of several experts to Trinidad and Tobago. The Committee plays a key role in assisting the implementation of the provisions of the resolution. In that regard, we note the request of the Central American Integration System, and we hope that it will be dealt with and responded to as soon as possible. Certainly, much remains to be done. We must continue to strengthen cooperation of the 1540 Committee with other international actors, particularly in the area of assistance. One of the areas of dialogue that we believe should be strengthened and continued is that with the Group of Eight Global Partnership on that topic.

Like previous speakers, I wish to thank the three Chairs of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004)  — Ambassadors Gary Quinlan, Mohammed Loulichki and Kim Sook, respectively  — for their detailed briefings and for the efficiency and commitment with which they steer the work of the Committees. I thank Ambassador Kim Sook for his joint briefing, which clearly illustrated the increasing cooperation among the three Committees. It is important to remember why the Council regularly organizes these information meetings. The news unfortunately shows that terrorism remains a major threat to peace and international security. The three Committees under discussion are at the forefront of the efforts of the United Nations to fight that threat. However, the Committees’ work is effective only if all Member States take the measures necessary to uphold their obligations. Today’s open briefings are therefore important because they allow the Council to transparently demonstrate to all Member States what its subsidiary bodies are doing in the fight against terrorism and to listen to the concerns of Member States in that area. I associate myself with the statement to be made by the observer of the European Union. In that regard, I wish to underscore that the fight against terrorism must be guided by fundamental democratic values ​and respect for the principle of the rule of law. We commend the measures taken by the Security Council in recent years to ensure the implementation of clear, fair and transparent procedures in the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities. Resolution 2083 (2012) brought significant changes to the sanctions regime, making it more efficient and transparent. We must continue to improve those procedures within the Council. Luxembourg fully supports the Office of the Ombudsperson created in December 2009, whose mandate was enhanced and extended in December 2012 for a period of 30 months, until June 2015. We thank Ms. Kimberly Prost for the exemplary manner in which she carries out her mandate. We call on all Member States to continue to fully cooperate with the Office of the Ombudsman in all cases. The events of recent months in Mali and the Sahel have demonstrated the evolution of the terrorist threat and the need for ongoing updating of the sanctions list in order to maintain the relevance and effectiveness of the regime established by resolution 1267 (1999). Given the threat of Al-Qaida and its affiliated groups in Africa, the Security Council has adapted its response to effectively fight the terrorist scourge, making use of all the tools at its disposal. In its resolutions 2085 (2012) and 2100 (2013), the Council reaffirmed its determination to punish individuals, groups, enterprises or entities that will not break their ties with Al-Qaida and its affiliated groups, such as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. The 1267 Committee applied Al-Qaida sanctions to the Mouvement pour l’unicité et le jihad en Afrique de l’Ouest and Ansar Dine, as well as to the leaders of those groups and individuals associated with it. We also encourage cooperation between the 1267 Committee and the Monitoring Team and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, pursuant to paragraph 31 of resolution 2100 (2013). Luxembourg also attaches great importance to the work of the 1373 Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), particularly to their outreach role. Given the current state of the terrorist threat, it is necessary to strengthen programmes for capacity-building of the Sahel States. In that context, we welcome the Rabat conference on border- control cooperation in the Sahel and the Maghreb, jointly organized by CTED, the United Nations Centre for Counter-Terrorism and the Government of Morocco, which was held from 13 to 15 March. We also welcome the fact that the Committee will organize again this year a special meeting on cooperation and technical assistance to States in the Sahel region in order to strengthen their capacity in the fight against terrorism. I would also like to underscore the important in-depth analysis work done by the Executive Directorate with regard to Member States’ implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions. Work reviewing the assessment tools has been under way for several months to improve the quality and the clarity of the analyses provided by CTED. We note with satisfaction that the Executive Directorate has introduced a new mechanism, which was presented to Member States at an open meeting of the Committee on 2 May. We are confident that it will further improve the work of the Committee by better identifying the problems faced by Member States and thereby better targeting technical assistance to help Member States in solving their problems. I take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to the Executive Director, Mr. Mike Smith, whose term ends on 30 June, for his work at the head of CTED. The risk of the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security; no State can solve that problem alone. The possibility of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) falling into the hands of non-State actors or terrorists is a real danger that concerns us all. With the presence of chemical weapons in Syria being confirmed, we are extremely concerned about the security of those stockpiles and about the risk of uncontrolled proliferation, which would be disastrous for the stability of the region. In that regard, it is urgent that the commission of inquiry set up by the Secretary- General travel to Syria and that it be provided with full access so as to enable it to investigate all credible allegations of the use of chemical weapons. Resolution 1540 (2004) plays a key role in preventing the risk of proliferation, but its effective implementation requires the commitment and cooperation of all States. In that respect, the work of the 1540 Committee is of particular importance. We urge all Member States to report to the Committee on their efforts. We support the objective of the Chair of the Committee to achieve by next year, if possible, the universality of reports, so as to mark the tenth anniversary of the 1540 Committee. Cooperation, the exchange of information and outreach and support activities all are important factors in building the capacities necessary to counter the risk of the proliferation of WMDs. The Committee, with the support of its new panel of experts, is in a good position to provide assistance and technical advice. In concluding, Mr. President, I should like to congratulate your country, Togo, on having taken the initiative to convene on Monday a debate on the com,bat against terrorism in Africa. The threat of terrorism should indeed be a matter of priority for the Council. While we have seen significant progress in the fight against that scourge, we must remain vigilant. We must continue our collective efforts so as to better combat and eventually eradicate the terrorist threat, which is constantly evolving.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Togo. I would like at the outset to thank most warmly the Chairs of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004), the Ambassadors of Australia, Morocco and the Republic of Korea, for their briefings on the activities of their Committees and for their commitment to ensure the effective discharge of the mandates that the Council has entrusted to those three subsidiary bodies. I should like also to express our gratitude to the Ombudsperson and to the expert panels of the various Committees for their work. In my statement, I will address the cooperation among the three Committees and stress the importance of assisting and strengthening States’ capacities, particularly in the case of those with the scarcest resources, where the need is most acute. Cooperation remains the most appropriate way of ensuring efficient and effective action against terrorism. That cooperation, which is being developed among the various counter-terrorist bodies, among States and between States and those bodies, must be bolstered as concerns the discharge by the subsidiary bodies of the Security Council of their respective mandates. That cooperation is even more important inasmuch as it makes it possible to rationalize the efforts of the various stakeholders and to avoid any duplication of effort or wasting of energy. In that regard, Togo wishes to welcome the multifaceted cooperation that has been institutionalized among the Committees, particularly as concerns outreach and country visits and cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations. Those mechanisms provide opportunities for the three Committees to remind all parties concerned of their obligations under the various relevant resolutions of the Security Council. It goes without saying that the convening of meetings and information exchange make it possible to achieve the goal of zero tolerance for terrorism, preventing it and combating it in all its forms and manifestations by means, inter alia, of the creation of formal networks of counter-terrorism professionals. Technical assistance and capacity-building are another key element of the mechanisms for the combating of terrorism. Recent developments in the activities of terrorist groups, particularly in the Sahel region and in Mali, have shown that the capacities and the military and security abilities of States may on occasion be outdistanced by the ability of terrorists to adapt and to mobilize considerable military and financial resources. Against that backdrop, States must express their needs in the areas associated with the fight against terrorism. The shortcomings and difficulties faced by States in implementing their obligations, which are often identified in the reports that they submit pursuant to the implementation of resolutions 1267 (1999), 1540 (2004) and 1373 (2001), could be used to determine their requirements in terms of capacity-building and support. In cases where reports are not submitted, the States concerned should be induced to produce them by making available to them the expertise of the Committees and their panels. Hence my country deems necessary the repeated requests to States to appoint national focal points to the various Committees. It also supports the carrying out of country visits by the Committees, and the maintenance of ongoing relations with the Permanent Missions in New York and Geneva so as to ensure a liaison with capitals. That could contribute to giving new impetus to cooperation among the Committees on the one hand and among the Committees, States and regional cooperation on the other. The combat against terrorism must be based on, inter alia, the collection and exploitation of information in order to detect and identify actors that pose a threat, identify their facilities and understand their strategies. Such work requires many skills and considerable resources and cannot be carried out in isolation. There must therefore be participation by all States. National action must therefore be supported by that of other countries and take place within the framework of bilateral, regional and international cooperation, which must be based on the exchange of experiences and expertise. Moreover, we believe that the improvement of documents, the preliminary implementation assessment and the detailed implementation survey reflect the commitment of the 1373 Committee to learn more about the challenges facing States and their needs in order to respond appropriately thereto. In that respect, we congratulate the Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate on all of the activities undertaken to that end, in particular the workshops and meetings it has convened with a view to helping certain States with respect to specific issues in order to help them better understand the phenomenon of terrorism and the means available to them to combat it. In that connection, the workshop held in December 2012 for the countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, which Togo is currently chairing, deserves special praise. The various workshops, which were announced by the three Chairs, represent ways of building the capacities of States and regional organizations. In conclusion, I would like to note that the tenth anniversary of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) will soon be upon us. With only a few months left until that event, which will permit us to take stock of the road travelled, it is relevant to note that the spike in terrorist activities and the proliferation of criminal groups highlight the need to give new momentum to United Nations action. That is how the international community will be able to avert the danger posed by terrorist and criminal groups, as well as non-State actors, which adapt easily to all measures to counter them and which have at their disposal considerable technological capacity and are able to acquire weapons of mass destruction and precursors for their manufacture. Togo is especially pleased that this meeting is taking place on the eve of the Council’s high-level debate on Monday on the issue of terrorism in Africa, over which Togo’s President will have the honour to preside. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor to the representative of Israel.

I would like to congratulate you, Ambassador Menan, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month, as well as to thank you for convening this important meeting. I would also like to express my appreciation to the Chairs of the Committees for their informative briefings earlier and for their professional work. Israel remains under constant threat from terrorist organizations. Rockets rain down on our towns and cities, launched by Hamas in the south. On our northern border, Hizbullah is exploiting the crisis in Syria to further undermine regional stability. Israel has confronted terrorism since well before its founding. For years, terrorism was an abstract concept for many in the international community. They believed acts of terror were a limited problem best dealt with locally. Today we know that terrorism can strike anywhere at any time. It is a growth industry working around the clock to expand into new markets. Its mission is to undermine democracies, and its vision is to instil fear through violence. Like an industry, terrorism has a business development arm devoted to money laundering and fundraising. Terrorist organizations frequently have a foot in the global narcotics market, operating networks that span from West Africa to the Middle East to Latin America. Terrorism has a human resources division that actively recruits new members. Across the Middle East, terrorism and martyrdom are being glorified through incitement that is disseminated in schools, mosques and media outlets. Terrorist organizations also have a well-funded marketing arm. It uses the Internet to promote every branch of the industry, from recruitment to instruction and from financing to public relations. And of course, there is the operations division that equips followers with hateful ideology and deadly weapons. It takes an industry to defeat an industry. Israel is working closely with many States and regional organizations to advance counterterrorism cooperation. That reflects our belief that terrorism can be effectively confronted only through international cooperation. No State should stand alone in that mission. The counter-terrorism Committees are essential to global efforts to isolate terrorists. Israel appreciates their dedicated work, as well as that of other relevant United Nations agencies. We support all four pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which should be treated as a whole. Israel commends the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) for its ongoing contributions to coordinate action against terrorism. I want to thank CTED’s departing Executive Director, Mike Smith, for his many years of excellent service and leadership. We also extend congratulations to CTED for concluding its review of Member States’ implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). Israel supports every effort to make the dialogue between CTED and Member States more simple, transparent and effective. Israel closely followed CTED’s March briefing on protecting non-profit organizations from terrorist financiers. We are painfully familiar with the exploitation of seemingly charitable funds by terrorist groups. Hamas manages a wide array of groups that claim to be social services organizations. I suppose that if one considers laundering money to be a way of cleaning up the neighborhood, then that is accurate. Israel fully supports resolution 1540 (2004) and the renewal of its mandate. Export-control systems and appropriate national counter-terrorism legislation are critical to preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and dual-use items. Finally, we welcome the recent extension of the mandate of the Ombudsperson of the Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee and are encouraged by the recent improvements introduced in resolution 2083 (2012). Israel is committed to sharing the knowledge and experience that comes from years of combating terrorism. Through our ongoing technical cooperation and capacity-building projects, we seek to further contribute to the international community’s counter- terrorism efforts. Each year, Israel invites counter- terrorism specialists from other nations to learn about the latest technological advances and operational tactics in combating terrorism. Those efforts establish strong ties between responsible law enforcement agencies worldwide. Countering violent extremist groups requires ongoing collaboration among all of us. In too many corners of the planet, all of the elements are in place for extremists to grow the next generation of terrorists. In this very Council, many States offer justification for certain terrorists while condemning others. In Gaza, Iran is funding, training and arming Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terrorists. Iran has helped Hizbullah build its arsenal to unprecedented levels in Lebanon, amassing 50,000 deadly missiles. Iranian agents have been involved in attacks from Azerbaijan to India and from Thailand to Kenya. Earlier this week, a Kenyan court sentenced two Iranians to life in prison on terror-related charges. Now we face the frightening possibility  — and I would like to emphasize this very clearly — that Hizbullah could soon get its hands on Syria’s vast stockpiles of chemical weapons. The threat of game-changing weapons reaching Hizbullah is substantiated by Nasrallah himself, who yesterday said “Syria will give the resistance special weapons it never had before”. The Council must act today, not tomorrow. We will not allow Hizbullah to test our resolve. Numerous judicial findings from around the world attest to the magnitude and gravity of Hizbullah’s global reach. Yet, that still isn’t enough for some European Union members to call Hizbullah what it is: a terrorist organization. It operates with impunity on European soil, yet some European lawmakers continue to insist that it is a social-services organization. Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations sets out the Security Council’s powers to maintain peace. There is no greater threat to international stability than those who use fundamentalism to advance their personal ideologies and agendas. It is time for the international community to unite and put terrorism out of business. The Security Council must further utilize Chapter VII to force terrorist groups to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The failure to do so would be nothing less than moral bankruptcy.

I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein.

Let me thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor in order to speak on behalf of the group of like-minded States on targeted sanctions, namely, Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. As is well known, our group aims to support efforts by the Security Council to enhance the fairness and transparency of its various sanctions regimes, thereby contributing to their credibility and effectiveness. We commend the concrete actions taken by the Security Council so far to address serious due-process concerns regarding the Al-Qaida sanctions regime. In particular, the Council has done the right thing by establishing and subsequently strengthening the Ombudsperson process. We would like to reiterate our full support for the work of the Ombudsperson, Ms. Kimberly Prost. She continues to fulfil her mandate with remarkable integrity and commitment and has made a substantial contribution to the fairness and effectiveness of the Al-Qaida sanctions regime. The fact that the Sanctions Committee has so far resolved 27 cases on the basis of her recommendations, and that 16 new cases are pending, speaks volumes about the quality of her work. The Ombudsperson process and the improved listing and de-listing procedures have significantly contributed to the accuracy and fairness of the Al-Qaida sanctions list. That has already been noted by relevant actors, such as the Advocate-General of the Court of Justice of the European Union. In his opinion on the Kadi II case, he recently considered that “the listing and delisting procedures within the [Al-Qaida] Sanctions Committee provide sufficient guarantees … to presume that the decisions taken by that body are justified”. We look forward to the European Court of Justice’s final ruling in that case. The Ombudsperson process is a success story. Within a few years, it has gone from being a necessary initiative to a well-established safeguard for due process. But there is an inevitable next question: what about other sanctions regimes? How can we explain that fair and clear procedures are available to persons who have been found to be associated with the terrorist group Al-Qaida, but not to other individuals and entities who may find themselves, rightly or wrongly, on other sanctions lists? How can we explain a situation where a person delisted from the Al-Qaida list appears on another list, is subject to the sanctions of that other regime, yet deprived of any meaningful recourse to verify the rightful inclusion on that particular list? We believe that the time has come for the Security Council to consider these questions and to improve the remedies available to individuals and entities targeted by other sanctions regimes, addressing them on a case-by- case basis. The urgent attention given to the Al-Qaida sanctions regime was justified in the light of the nature and size of its list, and in the light of numerous judicial challenges. But such challenges are also under way with respect to other sanctions regimes. More important, the underlying principles should apply across the board: every individual or entity put on a Security Council sanctions list should have the right to be informed of the reasons for listing, the right to be heard and the right to an effective remedy. Security Council sanctions regimes that grant fair and clear review procedures will benefit from improved credibility and effectiveness. The good news is that we do not need to re-invent the wheel. We believe that the Ombudsperson process should, on a case-by-case basis, be gradually extended to other appropriate sanctions regimes, in particular those with broad criteria for listing. We are of course fully aware that each sanctions regime and its underlying political situation is unique, and that some sanctions regimes are more suitable for such an extension than others. The renewals of the Somalia and Eritrea sanctions regime in August 2013 and of the Liberia sanctions regime in December 2013 could provide useful opportunities to make such progress. We therefore respectfully call on Council members to consider that step. In making that request, we would like to emphasize that the Ombudsperson process is ultimately a mechanism to ensure the proper implementation of Security Council decisions. Extending the mandate would not allow the Ombudsperson to question the way in which the Council designs sanctions regimes, nor to overturn the criteria for listing established by the Council. Quite to the contrary, extending the mandate would help ensure that listings under other sanctions regimes are in full conformity with the respective criteria established by the Council itself, while addressing due-process concerns that may hamper implementation by States Members of the United Nations. The group of like-minded States would be glad to provide any assistance necessary to consider such steps, in the interest of strengthening fair and clear procedures, and in the interest of effective sanctions implementation. We look forward to a constructive engagement with the Security Council in that regard.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Thomas Mayr-Harting, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations.

I take this opportunity to congratulate you and your country, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. (spoke in English) I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU) and its member States. The acceding country Croatia; the candidate countries Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland and Serbia; the countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina; as well as Ukraine and Georgia, align themselves with this statement. Thank you very much, Mr. President, for having organized this timely and important briefing. Let me begin by expressing our appreciation to the Committees’ Chairs for their extensive updates and summaries of actions and initiatives taken during the past six months. The recent attacks in Boston, Iraq and Libya are dreadful evidence of the fact that terrorism remains one of the major global threats. Those were unjustifiable acts of terror that serve as yet another grim reminder that the terrorist threat remains real. That is why the fight against international terrorism shall remain one of our highest priorities, just as it should continue to be a priority for the United Nations. The work of all three Committees is therefore of vital importance, as it contributes to the prevention of and the response to terrorist threats. We are committed to the idea that the scourge of terrorism can be overcome only by democratic measures that remain in compliance with the rule of law. Terrorism needs to be fought as a crime by the law and within the law, with full respect to due process and fundamental rights. We welcome the fact that the Security Council has taken significant steps to further reinforce fair and clear procedures in the Al-Qaida sanctions regime. We take this opportunity to commend the Ombudsperson’s work and reiterate our support for her unwavering efforts. We welcome the adoption of resolution 2083 (2012), which introduced some additional important changes to the Al-Qaida sanctions regime, in particular extending the mandate of the Monitoring Team and the Ombudsperson and making their work more effective and transparent. We reiterate our call on all Member States to extend full cooperation to the Office of the Ombudsperson in each and every case. We welcome the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), in particular the vast array of counter-terrorism endeavours and activities. In the period under consideration, we participated with great interest in a number of events focused on countering the financing of terrorism — for instance, in the special meeting focused on strategies regarding preventing and suppressing terrorist financing, held in November 2012 here in New York. In the same area, we also participated in a briefing on preventing abuse of the non-profit sector for the purposes of terrorist financing, in March 2013, followed by an event one week later focused on protecting non-profit organizations from being exploited by those seeking to finance terrorism were of great importance. With regard to State capacity-building, which is another crucial aspect of the fight against terrorism, we welcome the conference on border-control cooperation in the Sahel and the Maghreb that took place in Rabat in March and was organized by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre and the Government of Morocco. We participated actively in that important and successful event. As mentioned previously, we stress that all counter-terrorism efforts must comply with the rule of law, including international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law. We therefore welcome efforts aimed at underpinning that precept — for example, the event on combating terrorism and the pursuit of justice through cooperation organized by the Committee on 5 April. Last but not least, we thank the Committee and CTED for last week’s briefing on the revised documents and procedures related to the assessment of Member States’ implementation of Security Council resolutions relating to counter-terrorism. It was a very useful presentation of the improvements that have been made to the organization of reports so as to render them clearer, more transparent and more useful. Like others, I wish to thank Mr. Mike Smith in particular for the positive and useful work he has been doing as head of CTED. I would now like to share a few comments regarding the regime of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). The risk of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-State actors remains a significant threat to international peace and security. We should spare no effort to increase our capacity for preventing proliferation. To that end, the work of the 1540 Committee remains of vital importance. That goal requires a truly multi-stakeholder approach. We therefore commend events such as the 1540 civil society forum on opportunities for engagement held in Austria from 8 to 10 January, as well as the Committee’s conduct of 1540 workshops engaging civil society organized in Pretoria and Bangkok. We would also like to highlight additional events organized by the Committee around the world in recent months, which include workshops in Riyadh and Minsk as well as numerous events related to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence, among others, in Washington, D.C., Tokyo, Hong Kong and Rome. Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the delegation of Saudi Arabia for organizing last month’s comprehensive high-level event on preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-State actors and on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in the Arab world, in which we had the pleasure to participate. I would like to conclude my statement by underlining that our resolve to defeat terrorism must never weaken or falter. All acts of terrorism are criminal and reprehensible, wherever they take place and whoever commits them. The active promotion of counter-terrorism policies and actions must therefore remain a priority for the United Nations and its States Members, as it will for us.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.

I now give the floor to the representative of Japan.

I would like to express my appreciation for the dedicated efforts of each of the Chairs of the Council’s three counter-terrorism-related Committees in preparing their respective briefings. Through many measures taken by the relevant agencies, the fight against terrorism has made steady progress at the United Nations. However, it remains deeply troubling that terrorist attacks persist, some of which have taken place recently in areas such as South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel. The terrorist attack in In Amenas, Algeria, and the latest tragedy at the Boston marathon have shown us the necessity of increasing efforts to promote the fight against terrorism. In that regard, Japan expects the three committees to coordinate and cooperate closely with Member States and conduct constructive discussions and effective and efficient activities on counter-terrorism measures. Ten Japanese citizens were killed by the attack in In Amenas. There is no excuse for violence against innocent people. We condemn such abject terrorism. In reaction to the incident, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Fumio Kishida, announced three areas of focus for our foreign policy. Japan will strengthen international counter-terrorism measures; support the stabilization of the regions of the Sahel, North Africa and the Middle East; and promote dialogue and exchanges with Islamic and Arab States. On the basis of that policy, we will take various measures. Japan will take active part in the international efforts to counter terrorism, not only in the framework of the United Nations but also through the Group of Eight and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum. We hope that the visit to Japan planned by the Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), led by its Executive Director, will further deepen the existing cooperation between CTED and Japan. In order to ensure the legitimacy and credibility of United Nations counter-terrorism measures, unceasing efforts in that regard must be made by all three Committees. For example, it is important to keep updating the sanction lists to reflect the current status of individuals and entities. Japan will continue to work closely with the Ombudsperson and the Monitoring Team with that objective in mind. With respect to the United Nations counter- terrorism coordinator, Japan understands the need to establish that post in order to ensure consistency and integrity in the field of counter-terrorism at the United Nations. We should make every effort to pursue true effectiveness and efficiency in counter-terrorism measures at the United Nations through the creation of that position. Japan continues to attach great importance to preventing the proliferation of goods and technologies related to weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). We have been working closely with the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) to strengthen regional and global efforts to better regulate the export and border control of WMD-related materials. Japan invited the 1540 Committee expert group to the regional initiatives it has taken, namely, the twentieth export control seminar of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, held from 26 to 28 February, and the ninth Asian senior-level talks on non-proliferation, held on 14 March. Such collaboration with the 1540 Committee has provided an important opportunity to participants in the region. They were able not only to exchange information on effective ways to implement relevant Security Council resolutions on WMD non-proliferation, but also to understand the recent trend in the illicit transfer of goods and technologies now emerging throughout the world. Japan will continue to actively support other Member States in their efforts. Turning our attention to the work of the 1540 Committee itself, we welcome the strong emphasis placed by the Chair on outreach and partnership with relevant stakeholders. We commend the Chair’s efforts to strengthen the Committee’s work by the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the resolution next year. We support the focus placed by the four working groups under the Committee, and we understand that respective groups are making efforts to produce tangible outcomes. Japan strongly hopes that their activities will become more visible to all Member States, as they need to have a strong sense of ownership in advancing the objectives set forth in the resolution. As a way of nurturing the ties between the Member States and the 1540 Committee in order to tackle the challenge of WMD non-proliferation, the Permanent Mission of Japan will organize the fifth seminar on non-proliferation and disarmament in New York on 10 June, partnering with the Missions of Poland and Turkey. Japan will continue to cooperate positively in order to ensure that the three Committees can continuously and fully carry out their roles.

I give the floor to the representative of Portugal.

I congratulate you, Sir, and your country on your presidency of the Security Council this month. I thank the Chairs of the Security Council’s subsidiary committees on counter-terrorism for their comprehensive briefings. I am also pleased to address a special word to Mike Smith, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, and to wish him all the best in the future. We naturally associate ourselves with the statement delivered a few minutes ago by the observer of the European Union. I should, however, like to add a few comments. First, preventing and countering terrorism continues to be one of the main and more pressing challenges to the international community as a whole, and to the United Nations in particular. Solid international cooperation, on the one hand, and the full implementation of the United Nations counter-terrorism international legal instruments, on the other, are indeed crucial elements of a harmonized and effective response of the international community to the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The United Nations is singularly well placed to play the key role of coordinating, supporting and pushing forward the global international efforts in this endeavour to address the threats and actions of terrorism through the Security Council and its subsidiary bodies, the General Assembly and its relevant bodies, and other United Nations entities, at both the Headquarters and field levels. Surely, much has been done already, as we should recognize, but in our opinion there is room for improvement on specific elements of the counter- terrorism strategies as they stand now. As Portugal has consistently stated in previous briefings of the Security Council, more attention should be given, first, to enhancing the United Nations preventive counter-terrorism approaches and agenda; secondly, to improving and more efficiently articulating all relevant United Nations system tools, both in New York and at the field level; and, finally, to addressing the need to reinforce the compliance of national, regional and international counter-terrorism efforts with human rights and rule of law standards. Those, among others, are key aspects that we believe should to be solidly implemented in order to address the evolving nature of the terrorist threat, its ability to spread into different areas of the world, its intertwinement and increasing connection with forms of transnational organized crime, and its capacity to promote radicalization and recruitment in a global context. At the local and regional levels, we believe that further preventive action should be considered namely in regions such as West, Central and East Africa, where emerging or potentially emerging challenges should be further addressed, for example, through more and better United Nations information sharing and assessment survey capabilities. I conclude by commending once again the work of the Ombudsperson’s Office within the framework of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011). The Ombudsperson’s very valuable contribution to implementing fair and clear procedures for delisting with respect to that Committee should, in our opinion, also be made available in the framework of other relevant Security Council sanctions Committees, thereby opening the way to an even more credible, transparent and fair management of their respective sanctions lists.

There are no more speakers inscribed on the list of speakers. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.