S/PV.7597 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At this meeting, the Security Council will hear a briefing by Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi, Permanent Representative of Spain, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). I now give the floor to Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi.

I am honoured to brief the Security Council on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). Since I last briefed the Council in this Chamber in June (see S/PV.7463), I think that, without a doubt, the most important occurrence has been the increase in the number of acts of extreme violence being perpetrated by terrorists in nearly every region of the world. I have begun my briefing with this introduction because resolution 1540 (2004) is the cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime of weapons of mass destruction. However, despite the resolution’s strength, there is no doubt that in certain regions, including the Middle East, events have demonstrated that it has not been respected. We have received information from organizations such as INTERPOL indicating attempts by various countries to smuggle nuclear material. Non-proliferation is a phenomenon reflecting a global challenge, and for that reason the response must be wholly global. I believe that we all share the idea that it is far more economical and safe to invest in prevention than in cure. That is why I shall suggest in this briefing that if we all work together, by the end of the exercise culminating next year with the review of resolution 1540 (2004) we shall adopt a more effective resolution that will truly prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of non-State actors. I shall now discuss the activities of the 1540 Committee in the four areas of its work. The first is implementation. “Implementation” is a word that the Spanish language has imported from English, and is now considered to be Spanish. To implement is basically to interact with the Committee. The Committee must receive national reports and regular information from States. Ideally, the Committee should receive voluntary action plans. In other words, implementation is interaction between the 1540 Committee and the States Members of the United Nations. Preliminary indications in recent times are that implementation is going well but unevenly, both thematically and geographically. Geographically, not all regions of the world have implemented resolution 1540 (2004) equally; thematically, deficiencies remain in export controls, to cite but one example. Members have heard me say on more than one occasion that my goal as Chair of the 1540 Committee is to achieve its universal application. That will essentially require all States Members of the United Nations to submit their plans and projects. Yet there remain 17 States that have yet to submit their plans. I trust that, over the course of the coming year, we shall achieve our goal. One fundamental element of implementation is the training of national experts responsible for ensuring the proper implementation of the resolution. In that regard, I would underscore the important work done in the reporting period by the Chinese Mission, which convened in Chingdao a training course for all 1540 experts of the Asia-Pacific region. I had the honour to attend and inaugurate that event. I also note the efforts undertaken by Chile to host a similar training course for the countries of Latin America next year. The second area of the 1540 (2004) Committee’s work is assistance. Assistance basically means helping to train the States that do not have the necessary means or expertise to implement the resolution appropriately. Unfortunately, I am forced to acknowledge that, in this area, our efforts have not enjoyed their due success because we are not always sufficiently adept in matching donor and recipient States so as to establish the most effective assistance mechanisms. That is why I propose to deepen the regional approach to assistance. In that respect, I hope to attend a very important African Union in Addis Ababa in March 2016. The Committee’s third area of work involves its cooperation with regional organizations, of which there are many. I shall try to brief. We are also working well with the International Atomic Energy Agency. In that regard, the most important event to have taken place in the reporting period was the participation of representatives of the 1540 Committee in an exercise on the security of the maritime transportation of nuclear material that was organized by Morocco and Spain, in cooperation with Agency. We continue working with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, naturally on the issue of chemical and biological substances. I highlight in particular the outstanding effort undertaken by Jordan in organizing a meeting in Amman in June that met with great success. I should like to refer to three especially important organizations. The first is the World Customs Organization. There is no doubt that resolution 1540 (2004) seeks to establish customs controls to prevent illicit trafficking in banned substances and materials. The second is INTERPOL, which can provide early warning and information on illicit cross-border trafficking. The third is the Financial Action Task Force. The financial aspects of resolution 1540 (2004) are very important, as is hindering the ability of non-State actors to tap into sources of illicit funding. Another very important organization is the African Union, which plays a critical role in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), as does the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which achieved great progress in appointing 1540 points of contact. I also note the important role played on the American continent played by the Organization of American States, which has proposed establishing the post of manager for 1540-related projects. The 1540 Chair has maintained contacts with other organizations working to prevent proliferation, including the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, with which we maintain frequent exchanges of view. Obviously, within the United Nations system we work very closely with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Another area of the Committee’s work is transparency and outreach. With respect to transparency, it is important to stress that one significant aspect of the Committee’s work is ensuring that the industries that produce relevant substances and materials clearly understands the dangers involved in the manufacture of certain materials that could be converted into ingredients for the production of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. On this point, we note the important ongoing cooperation of Germany through the Wiesbaden Process, in which participants have the opportunity to exchange views and ideas on the best ways to share controls with the industrial sector so as to ensure that its products are not used in the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. I also underscore the importance of outreach to parliamentarians. Ultimately, the Security Council adopts resolutions and national Parliaments are obliged to implement them. However, it is important that we have a smooth exchange of information and experiences between the 1540 Committee and national Parliaments in order to understand where there are deficiencies and where successes, and which areas need strengthening in order to ensure more effective implementation of this resolution. In the forthcoming year, we start an important countdown, beginning on 1 January and continuing over the next 12 months, to the completion of the comprehensive review of the 1540 Committee. Resolution 1540 (2004) was a qualitatively new and fundamental leap in combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Enough time has passed since 2004 to enable us to see its achievements and inadequacies, and many events have occurred during that time that have forced us to act more effectively. I would like to offer a practical case. Suppose that in some country, in some region of the world — say, in a country that is unfortunately unable to fully control its borders  — a non-State actor managed to produce a weapon of mass destruction. It would probably not be a nuclear weapon, but it could be a chemical or a biological one. As Chair of the 1540 Committee, I would first ask where we had failed. What had we not done that had allowed that to take place? I would convene the Committee and would tell all our experts that, well, we have to work together to ensure that such a case never happens again. As Chair of the Committee and representative of Spain, I am mentioning this in order to focus the direction of the comprehensive review, by whose end, in December 2016, I hope that we will be able to adopt a draft resolution that can be even more effective in combating weapons of mass destruction and ensuring that they do not fall into the hands of non-State actors, which I know is a goal shared by every Member of the United Nations. Ultimately, that is the job we have to undertake, all of us together. Improving the non-proliferation system is expensive, but it is more expensive to try to deal with the results of acts or attempted acts involving weapons of mass destruction. I think that is obvious. However, I would like to conclude by emphasizing the efforts that all countries are making with the aim of supporting resolution 1540 (2004), particularly those that are contributing to the United Nations Trust Fund for Global and Regional Disarmament Activities, managed by the Office for Disarmament Affairs. The Committee is grateful for the Office’s support in that regard, and especially for the resources contributed by the United States, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea and the European Union. Without them, the Committee would not be able to do its job effectively.

I thank Ambassador Oyarzun for his briefing and for all of his leadership over the past year on this issue. His enthusiasm and command of the material, which makes all the difference for Chairs of these Committees, is impressive, and we have learned a lot. I shall now give the floor to the members of the Council.

I would like to thank the United States presidency for organizing today’s meeting on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), and Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi for his briefing. Regrettably, in 2015 we had yet again a year marked by an upsurge in extreme violence on the part of terrorists around the world. Reports that non-State actors used chemical weapons against people in the Middle East are more than worrying. They prove that the international community must do more to prevent weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery from getting into terrorists’ hands. Last year’s presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/7) reaffirmed the importance of resolution 1540 (2004) and laid down clear guidelines relating to the future work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). Lithuania believes that, during the 2016 comprehensive review, due attention must be paid to developing a specific strategy aimed at achieving the full and universal implementation of the resolution. Greater synergies among the relevant subsidiary bodies of the Council and improved assistance to Member States should also be explored. Lithuania is also of the view that the Committee should enhance the coordination of its non-proliferation work with other international, regional and subregional organizations. The Committee should also engage more actively with civil society, industry and the private sector, and take their relevant expertise into consideration. The 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague once again reaffirmed its main objective, which is to strengthen nuclear security and prevent non-State actors from acquiring nuclear material. Lithuania continues to implement its commitments relating to nuclear terrorism under the Nuclear Security Summits of Seoul and The Hague by building its national capacities and strengthening cooperation with other States and international organizations in order to counter illicit trafficking in nuclear and other radioactive materials. In preparation for the Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Washington, D.C., in 2016, Lithuania held a four-day sherpa meeting in Vilnius this summer. Our nuclear security centre of excellence, established as a national capacity-building and training venue, continues to expand its regional and international outreach, hosting national, regional and international thematic seminars and study visits. Lithuania would like to emphasize the need for universal and comprehensive reporting under the resolution, with the aim of identifying challenges that States may face during its implementation. We applaud Spain’s tireless efforts to help non-reporting States submit their initial reports to the Committee. Some progress has been made in that regard in 2015, although 17 States have yet to submit their initial reports. In order to effectively implement the goals of resolution 1540 (2004), the Committee and its Group of Experts should continue their practice of visiting Member States, particularly non-reporting ones, as well as their active participation in events related to non-proliferation at the regional and subregional levels. That direct interaction has proved very useful in assisting States that lack the capacity to implement the resolution. During the 2016 comprehensive review, the Committee should investigate future options for further strengthening its clearing-house role in facilitating matchmaking between assistance requests and assistance availability. It should also work to expand its base of assistance providers, which should be open to all who express the desire to contribute to the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). This is particularly relevant in the area of expert controls, where many gaps persist. Lithuania also encourages the 1540 Committee to interact more closely with the relevant Committees of the Council and their groups of experts, such as the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006), the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), the Counter- Terrorism Committee and the Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015), concerning ISIL (Daesh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, in order to reap the benefit of possible synergies while dealing with issues of non-proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery. Last but not least, I would like to express our great appreciation for the efforts of Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi as Chair of the 1540 Committee, as well as his team for their tireless work and commitment to achieving the universal and full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Since this is the last scheduled meeting at which my delegation is delivering a statement as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, on behalf of Raimonda Murmokaitė, Permanent Representative of Lithuania, and our whole team, I would like to convey our appreciation for the fruitful cooperation we have had with all the members of the Council and its secretariat, and to thank everyone for the support we have received during our tenure.

I will have more to say about each of the departing members at the end of today’s meeting, but I would like to thank Lithuania for the major contribution it has made during the past two years.

I, too, would like to thank Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi for his comprehensive briefing on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). I commend him on his commitment and leadership. The renewed increase of the phenomenon of terrorism throughout the world, the alleged or proven use of chemical weapons in some regions and the attempts to traffic in nuclear material in several countries are among the many factors that attest to the risk of non-State actors acquiring weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related materials. Nonetheless, fortunately, resolution 1540 (2004), which is the cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime, allows us to mitigate those risks and prevent the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors, their delivery systems and related materials. To that end, Chad welcomes the notable progress made in implementing the resolution, as we see from the report of the Chair of the 1540 Committee. Over 90 per cent of States have reported to the Committee, which has finalized the revision of implementation measures applicable to all 193 Member States. Moreover, the Committee has approved the modalities for the comprehensive review of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and and has developed and is implementing a work plan focused on four issues. Despite that significant progress, work remains to be done in achieving the universal implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Chad therefore encourages the Committee to reinforce its cooperation with the relevant international organizations. Chad also encourages the Committee to reach out to and to include the parliamentarians, who are responsible for drafting and adopting the legislation necessary for the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). We welcome the convening of a conference of African parliamentarians, which will be held in Côte d’Ivoire next year. Similarly, Chad commends the outreach efforts of the Committee to civil society, as well as the holding of a seminar bringing together representatives of industry in Germany as part of the Wiesbaden process. We also commend and encourage the initiative of the Republic of Korea and India, who have announced that they would organize similar activities in 2016. The Committee must further highlight the role of African regional and subregional organizations, because a number of States that have not yet submitted their first implementation report are located in Africa. In that regard, more vigorous cooperation with the African Union and with the continent’s regional economic communities could help to significantly reinforce the momentum towards the comprehensive implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). As we are at the end of our term in the Council, and since this is most likely our last meeting this year, I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of my entire delegation, to thank all Member States of the Council and the Secretariat staff for their invaluable support and their vast understanding, from which we have benefited during the past two years of our term on the Council. During that time, we were not able to achieve everything that we would have liked. However, in so far as were able, we exerted every effort to make our modest contribution to the collective work of the Council. So far as possible and alongside the other African members of the Council, we endeavoured to make Africa’s as yet barely audible voice heard in this organ. We are happy to have had this experience for the first time, and we will keep very fond memories of it. We hope that, with the caring support of all the members of the Council, the incoming African members will be able to maintain and further strengthen the new dynamic established by the representatives of our continent within the Council. Africa, which hosts over 70 per cent of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, can and must be involved in the search for solutions to the crises that it is undergoing. In that regard, it is imperative that the views of our continental organization, the African Union, pertaining to peace and security be taken into account if we really want to help Africa. In conclusion, we commend the spirit of openness and of mutual understanding that has often enabled members of the Council to work on the basis of consensus, and we hope that that momentum continues to grow. I could not conclude without congratulating the incoming members of the Council — Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay — on their election, or without wishing them every success during their terms of office. I would also like to commend the outgoing members — Chile, Jordan, Lithuania and Nigeria — for their significant contributions to the work of the Council. I wish them well in their future activities within other United Nations bodies. Lastly, Madam President, I would like to congratulate you and all of your team for the leadership and aplomb with which you have conducted the work of the Council during the United States presidency for December. On that note, I would like to wish to everyone Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

I will come back to the representative of Chad later. Because he has spoken about the importance of having a strong African voice on the Council, I would like to let him know that his voice was very loud, very strong and always a voice for dignity, and that voice will be missed. We therefore hope to hear from him going forward.

We, too, thank Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain for his briefing in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), and we congratulate him on his energetic leadership of that very important Committee. This briefing comes at an important time for resolution 1540 (2004) — 10 years after the Security Council’s unanimous adoption — and we believe that we can say that good progress has been made, bearing in mind that it is a crucial backstop to the various treaty-based instruments that address the issue of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Over the past 10 years, Governments have recognized the importance of both national action and international cooperation to secure and prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We welcome the fact that more than 90 per cent of United Nations States Members have voluntarily submitted national reports on the implementation of the resolution. For its part, New Zealand has been proud to support the efforts to extend the implementation of the resolution throughout the Pacific, where we have funded expert assistance to Pacific States to help them meet their commitments. We have also provided assistance with the drafting of counter-terrorism legislation. We support the Committee’s comprehensive review of the resolution. It is time to take stock of our efforts over the past decade and determine how the implementation of the resolution can be improved to best support our collective security. The Group of Experts has collected an impressive amount of data that underscore how successful implementation has been. We can use the data to reveal trends in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to better identify risks. We commend the experts for their hard work and encourage them to continue their direct dialogue and outreach with States. At the same time, we are aware of the burden placed on small States, especially small island developing States, in implementing such a complex legal framework. We are keen to explore practical solutions, especially for States that do not produce or store the relevant materials, while respecting the legally binding nature of resolution 1540 (2004) and acknowledging the importance of leaving no gaps. In brief, the implementation of the resolution is a significant burden for small countries with small administrations. We also emphasize the importance of working through regional and subregional organizations, and we welcome the cooperation of the Group of Experts with the Pacific Islands Forum in that regard. New Zealand looks forward to working constructively with other Council members so that the comprehensive review can be used to update and strengthen the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). The horrific chemical attacks in Syria over the past two years have demonstrated all too clearly that the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction is as relevant now as it was a decade ago, if not more so. Ultimately, only through the total elimination of such weapons, together with ongoing, stringent verification measures implemented by all Member States, can we protect our collective security.

First of all, I would like to thank the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), the Permanent Representative of Spain, for his very comprehensive briefing. We appreciate the unfailing efforts of Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi and his team in leading the Committee, which has accomplished a great deal. The Committee has been extremely active of late, which coincides with the comprehensive review that is currently under way. There has been an increase in terrorist activities in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and elsewhere. Terrorist organizations have access to complex planning and implementation mechanisms. It is their goal to kill as many civilians and bring about as much destruction as possible. That is just the beginning; we expect the worst. Such organizations have increasing military and financial means, and they control huge territories in some countries, which makes the danger of their having access to weapons of mass destruction, whether biological or nuclear, very real. Accordingly, we need to make every possible effort to ensure that terrrorist groups do not have access to such arms or the means to produce them. That is an enormous responsibility for all countries; accordingly, all countries should comply with resolution 1540 (2004), which is the cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime. Jordan has made tangible progress in terms of implementing the resolution. We have adopted legislation and taken measures to control exports with a view to preventing the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their delivery systems. During its tenure as a member of the Security Council, working in close cooperation with the Group of Experts, Jordan submitted its third national report on the implementation of the resolution. We very much welcome the information provided by Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi regarding implementation. I would also like to mention the regional workshop that took place in Amman, which was organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and brought together 17 countries, donor representatives and 11 international and regional organizations. The workshop provided an opportunity to exchange of views, determine priorities and identify the difficulties and solutions encountered in implementing the resolution. The workshop was an excellent example of cooperation among countries in terms of capacity-building and mutual assistance, and also provided additional proof of Jordan’s commitment to the implementation of the resolution and its support for the Committee. We hope that the role of the Committee in assisting countries will be strengthened over the coming years. There is also a need to step up cooperation with regional organizations. Such organizations need to be encouraged to provide assistance to Member States. Some countries do not have the means to implement the resolution owing to security challenges or a lack of resources. The current comprehensive review of the status of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) is an important step, as it provides us with an opportunity to gather a great deal of data and information that will assist in the capacity-building of countries and the improved implementation of the resolution. We support that process and look forward to cooperating with the Committee next year. We also plan to support its efforts to include the academic community and representatives of other bodies. (spoke in English) I will not say this is the last Council meeting for Jordan, because perhaps there will be a vote. Neither will I say that I tried to be a forceful representative for the Arab world, because all here have heard me clearly without my having to speak more loudly. Unfortunately, the Arab world has been a consistent presence within the Council for the wrong reasons. However, we have always tried to represent our part of the world with a great deal of passion and dedication. I wish to thank you, Madam President, for all that you have done and for your support. I also wish to thank all of my colleagues, the Permanent Representatives sitting around the table, those who are leaving as well as those who are staying — in particular those who are staying permanently, as we will be coming to see you throughout the year. In the name of Jordan, I thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Jordan for her statement, as well as for her leadership. I do not know of any role more difficult than that of being pushed and pulled in so many directions as she has been. The Ambassador has done a tremendous job with incredible poise, and always with such regard for the people who are not represented in the Security Council Chamber. It has been a great privilege for all of us who have had the chance to work with her. We thank the Ambassador.

China wishes to thank Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi for his briefing. We appreciate the great deal of work that he and his team have done. Over the past six months, the joint efforts of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and the Group of Experts have enabled the Committee to carry out its work in an orderly manner on issues such as the implementation of the resolution, international cooperation, and assistance and outreach programmes. The focus of the Committee’s work in the next phase will be the comprehensive review of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). In that connection, China wishes to make several remarks. First, it is necessary to undertake a comprehensive review of the implementation of the resolution. The review should revolve around the core provisions of the resolution and make full use of existing resources and tools of the Committee to strengthen the analysis of the implementation in order to identify both progress and weak links and provide guidance to Member States with a view to further raising their awareness with regard to non-proliferation and improving their capacity to prevent proliferation. Secondly, it is important to ensure that the main thrust of the resolution is properly understood. In accordance with resolution 1540 (2004), all Member States should prohibit any non-State actor from manufacturing, acquiring, processing, developing, transporting, transferring or using weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, especially for the purposes of terrorism. The comprehensive review process should hinge on that core mandate of the resolution, and should avoid expanding the interpretation of the scope of the resolution, or introducing other sensitive and complicated issues that do not already fall within its scope. Thirdly, it is vital to listen carefully to the views of Member States and to ensure the transparency and openness of the review process. China has noted the Committee’s work plan for the comprehensive review. Next year, consultations will be conducted with the membership. China believes that the principle of transparency should be adhere to throughout the process, listening to and fully taking into account the views of all Member States so as to enable the comprehensive review process to achieve its expected results. Fourthly, we must effectively enhance the assistance mechanism of the Committee through the comprehensive review. At present, the assistance mechanism has played a certain role, but there is still room for further strengthening and improvements. Targeted measures should be taken through the comprehensive review to promote a greater role for the Committee in providing assistance in order to effectively meet the assistance needs of the relevant countries. China attaches great importance to the significant role played by the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts. China has actively participated in the work of the Committee in a constructive way. As part of the efforts to strengthen capacity-building in the Asia- Pacific countries and help them implement resolution 1540 (2004), China hosted a training course in September on Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) for national focal points in the Asia-Pacific region. The training course enhanced the understanding of participants with regard to resolution 1540 (2004) and its background, thereby assisting countries in their efforts to make progress on the implementation of the resolution, both at home and among States. China will continue to work with all countries to contribute to international non-proliferation efforts.

First of all, I would like to thank Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi very much indeed for his excellent leadership of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). As his briefing showed, this has been a busy year for that important body. I would also like to commend the 1540 Group of Experts and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs for their tireless work in support of the Committee. Resolution 1540 (2004) is a vital part of the global non-proliferation architecture. The threat of non-State actors, particularly terrorists, acquiring materials for weapons of mass destruction  — whether chemical, biological or nuclear  — is a nightmare scenario for all of us. By monitoring States’ implementation of the binding obligations under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations that address that risk, the Committee fulfils a crucial non-proliferation function. In doing so, it acts as an important safeguard for international peace and security. It is therefore right that we take the time to review, with a critical eye, the state of global implementation, as well as the work and structures of the Committee itself. The United Kingdom supports the comprehensive review, which is already under way, and looks forward to the presentation of the final report on the subject to the Council by the end of 2016. The year ahead will be a busy one for the Committee. I would like to briefly highlight three issues. First, we have not yet achieved universality of reporting, although there is a high rate of reporting compliance. Providing a first report to the Committee is the best way for a country to begin a dialogue with the Committee on implementation. It allows the Committee and its experts to highlight potential gaps and risks and to help provide potential assistance providers. The provision of follow-up reports and national implementation action plans is a important means of sharing information and further supporting implementation. I would echo Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi’s call on those remaining States to submit a first report on implementation. If they have not already done so, 2016 is the year to start such engagement. Secondly, the Committee’s decision to focus on implementation on a regional basis is already bearing fruit. The recent resolution 1540 (2004) training course held in China for Asia-Pacific countries was a huge success, and we look forward to more in other regions. The United Kingdom had the privilege of supporting a regional workshop in East Africa for States in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in September to support the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). The new staff resources committed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Organization of American States are another important step-up in engagement. Neighbouring countries in a region often share geographic and political similarities when it comes to the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), so expanding regional approaches to assistance and training under that resolution can improve our overall security from proliferation risks. Finally, the Committee must continue its proactive outreach. Resolution 1540 (2004) is a technical resolution that covers a range of specialist fields. The Committee should continue to meet with expert communities in the relevant scientific disciplines, including academia, lawmaking and industry. As always in the Security Council, getting new and fresh perspectives on old problems is a welcome way of improving our work. Direct engagement with States is also vital. We invite all United Nations States Members to consider how the Committee’s work can be strengthened through the comprehensive review, including through implementation monitoring, assistance matchmaking and outreach. We look forward to the public meetings that Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi is planning so as to facilitate that dialogue. In conclusion, the United Kingdom is committed to the preventative agenda on resolution 1540 (2004). Measures taken by States today on materials for weapons of mass destruction, as well as on financing and export controls, will directly reduce the risk posed by the proliferation of such materials to non-State actors. As the threat of those non-State actors evolves, we must continue to work together to strengthen our collective security through committees such as these. Finally, if we are getting all valedictory, I would like to offer a very brief thanks to Chad, Chile, Jordan, Lithuania and Nigeria for being five outstanding non-permanent representatives. Personally, I will always think of them as permanent, since they were here when I first joined the Council. I hope that we will vote tomorrow, but I equally hope that we will not have to do any explanations of vote, as we will all be so happy with the text that no one will need to do any explaining.

Hope springs eternal in the Security Council.

I thank Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain, in his capacity as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), for his briefing. I commend him and his team for their skill and dedication in taking the Committee and its work forward. I also take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the unflagging commitment of the Group of Experts and their unstinting support for, and cooperation with, the Committee in furthering the effective implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Malaysia reaffirms its view that resolution 1540 (2004) and its effective implementation remain a key component of the global architecture for countering the danger posed by the threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We continue to believe that the establishment of effective precautionary measures and systems to address potential nuclear, chemical or biological proliferation is a collective responsibilty incumbent upon all Member States, which must take the lead in that regard. In that connection, we are pleased to note that the Committee has recorded an increase with respect to measures taken by Member States to comply with the provisions of the resolution. We are also pleased to note that, of 17 non-reporting States, three began to report in 2015 as a result of the close and sustained engagement by the Committee and its Chair. We believe that that is a positive development, and we encourage the Committee to continue its engagement with the remaining States, with a view to achieving universal coverage. We share the concern highlighted by the Chair in his briefing that the current 1540 regime does not adequately provide for measures to address allegations of the possession of weapons of mass destruction and related technologies by non-State actors, particularly terrorists and violent armed extremist groups. We believe that the threat posed by such groups is real. A renewed focus in that direction is therefore needed if the 1540 regime is to remain relevant and effective. In our view, the possibility of factoring in the work of the Committee in the work and activities of the relevant subsidiary bodies of the Council is worth considering. The difficulty in matching implementation assistance requests with possible providers is another issued that the Chair has highlighted. Given the limitations and varying capacities of registered providers, we would welcome collaborative approaches with stakeholders in order to effectively and efficiently address shortcomings of the present system. Malaysia commends the Committee for its ongoing engagement and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit. Additionally, we welcome and support the Committee’s outreach to the World Customs Organization, INTERPOL and the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering. In our view, such positive engagement and collaboration creates a better understanding among all concerned and, in time, it will lead to more effective and meaningful implementation of the resolution. In that context, Malaysia also welcomes the recently held fourth Weisbaden Industry Process Conference on Private Sector Engagement in Strategic Trade Controls on the theme “Recommendations for effective approaches to implement resolution 1540 (2004)”, held on 19 and 20 November in Germany. Moving forward, we believe scope exists to further expand such cross- sectoral engagement, including with parliamentarians and academia, among others. On the comprehensive review on the status of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), Malaysia will continue to lend its support and work alongside other Committee members and the Group of Experts to implement the review’s work plan. We look forward to the upcoming consultations with Member States, and hope that such engagement can produce potential synergies in approaches on activities to guide the review in the coming year. From 15 to 16 June, Malaysia, in its capacity as current Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), organized the seventh ASEAN Regional Forum inter-sessional meeting on non-proliferation and disarmament. The meeting succeeded in raising the profile of the 1540 regime and its effective implementation, as well as raising awareness on the work of the Committee and the Group of Experts in that regard. Among other outcomes, participants reaffirmed their commitment to complement and strengthen the international non-proliferation architecture at the regional and subregional levels. We commend the Committee’s Group of Experts for playing an instrumental role in ensuring the meeting’s success. In conclusion, Malaysia firmly believes that the full and effective implementation of resolution of 1540 at the national, regional and international levels remains a fundamental bulwark against the threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Its effectiveness is also contingent to some extent on progress being made in other international policymaking processes. In that regard, the disappointing outcome of the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons should not hinder progress in the effective implementation of the 1540 regime and, more generally, on capacity- building efforts in the area of WMD-threat reduction.

We commend Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi for presenting his briefing on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), which he has chaired with great effectiveness and dedication. The current briefing is particularly important because it deals with the issue of a comprehensive review of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). This is the second such review since its adoption, and it is taking take place at a time when the measures and steps that States can take to prevent non-State actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction are more relevant than ever. Venezuela attaches great importance to the efforts of the international community to promote disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We would like to express our full commitment to strengthening the international regime applicable to such materials by meeting the obligations flowing from the relevant legally binding instruments and the measures and controls that States might adopt on a voluntary basis to cope with this serious threat. As the Chair of the Committee mentioned in his report, extremist violence perpetrated by terrorists in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America has increased. In the current circumstances, therefore, it is all the more important to coordinate measures more closely at the national, subregional, regional and international levels with a view to providing a more comprehensive and robust response to this serious challenge and threat to international security, as well as to coordinate the measures and controls that States might adopt to face up to this grave threat. My country reiterates its categorical rejection of all terrorist acts in any form, for any reasons, wherever they are committed and by whoever they are committed. They are a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In that context, the use of toxic chemical agents by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham in Iraq and Syria underscores the need to redouble efforts to prevent terrorist groups from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. That is why we have insisted on the fact that the elimination of weapons of mass destruction is the most effective way to prevent terrorist groups from acquiring such weapons. We call on States possessing nuclear weapons to conduct negotiations in good faith aimed at eliminating those arsenals in favour of international peace and security. Venezuela is fully committed to the process of the comprehensive review on the status of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). We will actively participate in all the phases of the review. The goal is for as many States as possible to adopt on a voluntary basis the largest quantity of measures and controls so that non-State actors are unable to acquire materials, delivery systems or financing in order to produce, finance, transfer or threaten or use weapons of mass destruction. To achieve that, the Committe should optimize its communication, assistance and advice to all States Members of the United Nations, with particular emphasis on those countries that need greater support. We commend the work of the Chair of the Committee with the support of the Group of Experts. In conclusion, we reiterate our full commitment and support to the work of the Committee in implementing resolution 1540 (2004), with the aim of preventing terrorist groups from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, through cooperation among Members States and the support of the relevant international organizations.

I thank the Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi for the very thorough briefing he has just made on the activities of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) over the past quarter, as well as for his observations. The proliferation of radiological, biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and the risk that they may fall into the hands of terrorists are very real dangers, as the Ambassador has very aptly reminded us. The crimes committed by Daesh in Syria and Iraq, which seem to know no bounds, means that we cannot rule out such a possibility. The adoption of resolution 1540 (2004), 11 years ago, marked a decisive step in preventing those dangers by requiring, via a resolution under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, that States take specific measures to prevent such weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists. The setting up of the 1540 Committee has since ensured the ongoing monitoring of the implementation of the resolution, and encouraged cooperation among Member States in that fight. We have seen undeniable progress in implementing the resolution over the course of the past 11 years. First, the vast majority of Member States have adopted measures to translate the provisions of the resolution into their national legislation, including informing thе Committee of such measures via implementation reports. I commend the Group of Experts for analyses and outreach efforts, which are essential to the Committee’s work. Secondly, today we see that an increasing number of international, regional and subregional organizations have adopted strategies to implement and promote the provisions of the resolution. The European Union, for example, has promoted the implementation of the resolution since 2004; and that commitment was renewed in July 2013 by the Foreign Affairs Council, which adopted a decision on resolution 1540 (2004) allocating €1.5 million towards regional efforts to implement its provisions. Despite the undeniable success of the past 11 years, much work remains. Given the emerging technologies that terrorists may be able to exploit, all Member States must further strengthen their export and border controls, prevent and suppress the financing and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ensure that sensitive goods and materials are as secure as possible within their territory. The comprehensive review of the implementation of the resolution, which the 1540 Committee has just launched in accordance with resolution 1977 (2011), must meet those challenges. As I already mentioned, the preliminary analysis by the Group of Experts on the measures taken by States Members pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) shows improved implementation of the resolution, which is very positive. However, the implementation is uneven, depending on the region and the type of action. We hope that the review will help identify priority areas where the Committee can focus its efforts. On the issue of assistance, I want to assure the Council of the commitment of my delegation, which coordinates the working group on the subject, with the aim of improving the efficiency of the assistance mechanism. I cannot conclude my statement without saying that the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and against the risk that they will fall into the hands of terrorists is also being conducted in other forums. The Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 2016 should enable us to consolidate the achievements of the process launched in 2010. We are firmly committed to that, particularly in terms of securing high-intensity radioactive sources, as any theft could have extremely serious consequences. The second International Conference on Nuclear Security of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), scheduled for December 2016, will help to define the IAEA’s upcoming nuclear security plan of action for the period 2018-2021. It will also strengthen the security of radioactive sources. We must emphasize the broadest possible participation at the ministerial level to ensure the success of that important conference. Again, the risk is real. Mobilizing all of energy of the international community is necessary to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorists. Lastly, my delegation joins you in advance, Madam President, in echoing the words you will express later to the outgoing members. It has been a pleasure and privilege for us to work with Chile, Jordan, Lithuania, Nigeria and Chad — which I list in French alphabetical order. We have had two particularly intense years, during which the contribution of all five members has truly enriched the history of this venerable institution. We have been very active, and even hyper-active at times. We would like to thank them all very sincerely.

Let me begin by thanking the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi, for his briefing and by commending him greatly for his effective leadership. The adoption of resolution 1540 (2004), almost 11 years ago, signalled the Security Council’s determination to respond robustly to the threat posed to international peace and security by the proliferation of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery. As the second Council resolution to invoke Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations outside of a country-specific context, resolution 1540 (2004) has been aptly described as filling a gap in international law by addressing the unacceptable risk of non-State actors obtaining and using weapons of mass destruction. While the three main treaties on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons address non-proliferation, it is evident that they do not take into account the possibility of such weapons falling into the hands of non-State actors. Therein lies the significance of resolution 1540 (2004) in its complementarity to the three global treaties on weapons of mass destruction. Today we realize that the emergence of extremist groups has introduced a sense of urgency and the need for the international community to take stock of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and close the gaps that could be exploited by such groups to obtain and use weapons of mass destruction. As the Chair rightly underscored in his briefing, no State is immune from the threat and consequences of an attack with a weapon of mass destruction by non-State actors. That should serve as a clarion call for us to vigorously confront one of the key security challenges of the century. Meeting this challenge and other evolving threats to international peace and security requires that we strengthen compliance with resolution 1540 (2004). We welcome the engagement of the Committee in regional partnerships and outreach activities, including its collaboration with the African Union, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, INTERPOL, the Financial Action Task Force and other relevant actors. We commend the Committee for adopting an original approach to improving its assistance to States with challenges in meeting their obligations under resolution 1540 (2004). It is our hope that that will yield positive results in the effort to promote compliance with the resolution. The introduction of training courses for national 1540 points of contact is a highly commendable innovation. According to the Chair’s briefing, it has promoted an understanding of the obligations of Member States under resolution 1540 (2004). We express our appreciation to China for hosting the training course for national 1540 points of contact for the Asia-Pacific region in September. We also thank Chile for its offer to host the course for the Latin American countries in 2016. The establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones across the world, we believe, is a potent tool to prevent the vertical and horizontal proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Success in that direction would promote transparency in non-proliferation  — the second pillar of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Nigeria will continue to support efforts to establish nuclear-weapon-free zones, as we did in Pelindaba, in parts of the world where they currently do not exist. As we respond to the challenges of today, we must adopt a proactive approach that produces a long-term strategy to deal with potential avenues for the illicit acquisition and use of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons by non-State actors. We must remain especially vigilant to developments that may threaten international peace and security. Member States must stay abreast of and remain seized of emerging issues and maintain their commitment to the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). As we make our exit from this hallowed Chamber, I am reminded of Shakespeare’s metaphor in his play As You Like It. In the monologue, he depicts the world as a stage where all of the men and women are merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, he says, and each one, in his act, plays many parts. I believe that, as we collectively leave the Council, the five of us have indeed played our various parts. I believe that team Nigeria has played its part, albeit with the support of all of the Member States around this table. We pray for the same measure of support for our colleagues from the entering countries — the new actors on this stage, the new actors in the Security Council cast — Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay. In a world that is increasingly disturbed by conflict, the Security Council is the body charged with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and the rest of the world looks up to it as 15 voices of reason. The world finds its anchor in this Chamber. For that reason, I want to believe that the Council is an orchestra that is always trying to play a symphony. Who writes the notes is left to the imagination, but the symphony must be played to alleviate the sufferings of so many people in dire humanitarian situations, people who have left their homes with nowhere to go, no bed to sleep on, no food to eat. They look up to the Council. My prayer is that we will always provide the succour that the world needs.

I thank the representative of Nigeria for her leadership on the Security Council. I would like to say that in my two years representing my country in the Council, I have noticed that whenever Mrs. Ogwu talks, everybody puts down what they are doing and listens to her. I wish I had what she has. I guess I will have what she has been eating or drinking. She just exudes wisdom, to her team and to her colleagues. It has been a great privilege for me. I will say more about Nigeria when we close.

The Russian Federation is grateful to the Permanent Representative of Spain, Mr. Román Oyarzun Marchesi, for his briefing on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). We would like to thank him personally and all of his Spanish team for their successful and conscientious leadership of a difficult subsidiary body of the Council this year. We are looking forward to fruitful cooperation in future. We note the important and useful work of the Group of Experts and its Coordinator, Mr. Terence Taylor, which has given significant support to the work of the Committee on a daily basis. This year saw some major outreach events in the work of the Committee. These events, including the successful holding of a training course for the 1540 points of contact in the Asia-Pacific Region and the development of cooperation with the African Union for the purposes of recruiting technical assistance providers for African States, will help to effectively implement the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004). It is fundamentally important for the 1540 Committee to be able to effectively play the role of a central coordinator of efforts to implement the resolution and to determine the aims and objectives of this assistance. There is no doubt that the main goal in 2015 of the Council’s subsidiary body was to prepare for the Comprehensive Review of the Status of Implementation of Resolution 1540 (2004). The aim of this Review is to identify existing shortcomings in collating, processing and disseminating information, to improve the predictability and systematic nature of work, to foster coordination within the Group of Experts, and to find ways to improve the effectiveness of the work of the Committee as a whole. Currently, in cooperation with Member States and specialized international agencies, we have developed modalities for holding the Review. In this regard, we hope that all the necessary work will be carried out and conducted in an effective and timely manner. Resolution 1540 (2004), which was developed in 2004 by the Russian Federation and the United States of America, is the main universal international document in the area of weapons of mass destruction and non-proliferation. It obligates all countries to establish effective national control systems to prevent weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and related material from being acquired by non-State entities. This is of crucial importance, given the numerous regional conflicts that are being exploited by the numerous terrorist organizations for their interests as they strive to gain access to weapons of mass destruction. This has been confirmed, for example, by the challenges that the Islamic State is posing for the world, and by the challenges presented by other terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq. We are against attempts to water down the central role of the Committee or transfer part of its functions to non-specialized and regional structures, the business community and non-governmental organizations. We consider that there is a need to clearly determine the areas where such structures can make a concrete contribution to achieving the aims and objectives of resolution 1540 (2004), but we underscore that the international and legal responsibility for implementing this important Security Council resolution is borne by States. For our part, we are planning to continue to actively participate in the work of the Committee. We are counting on the constructive and fruitful cooperation of all partners, in the interests of the fullest possible implementation of the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004), so that weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems are not obtained by non-State entities. In the light of the upsurge of the terrorist threat and the danger of toxic substances and other types of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of non-State structures, the aims laid out in the resolution are more pertinent than ever. If I may, I would like to express our gratitude to the Permanent Representatives of Nigeria, Jordan, Lithuania, Chile and Chad.

I will be very brief. At the outset, we would like to thank Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi for his briefing, which contained relevant information. Like other delegations, we are concerned about the possibility that non-State actors may manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer or use weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, in particular for terrorist purposes. We therefore agree with the idea contained in the briefing that the world should prevent a surprise terrorist attack, especially one using weapons of mass destruction. As a member of the Security Council, Angola reiterates its willingness to work with the Committee towards the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).

Chile would like to thank you, Madam, for convening this open meeting to examine the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), and we would like to commend the work of the Ambassador of Spain in the Security Council’s non-proliferation committees. Resolution 1540 (2004) was a milestone whose drafting my country contributed to in its prior membership on the Security Council. We value the fact that under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations it responds to the threat of the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons in the hands of non-State actors. Almost 12 years later, the threat continues to be as present as ever, and the very idea that non-State agents could have access to weapons of mass destruction is a source of great concern. In this period, we have managed to raise the awareness of the international community about the terrorist threat and the serious dangers of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, thus facilitating implementation, assistance and cooperation. While we have made progress in implementing resolution 1540 (2004), there remains much to be done, so we need to take advantage of the political opportunity offered in 2016, when the Comprehensive Review of the Status of Implementation of Resolution 1540 (2004) is carried out, in accordance with paragraph 3 of resolution 1977 (2011). The resolution requests the same of all States, but no country is the same as another. On the other hand, many countries have reported on the measures adopted, but we know that the adoption of measures does not necessarily imply proper implementation. Those are issues to consider in the comprehensive review. The challenge that the resolution dealt with when it was adopted has changed. In the course of the comprehensive review, the Council will need to assess whether it would be appropriate to agree, for example, on a new mandate for the Committee and its Panel of Experts that would grant them greater flexibility to act more proactively. Indeed, a preliminary analysis of the data reveals a disparity in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) among the various regional groups. It is therefore necessary to enable a more flexible and proactive role that would include a regional focus on assistance and cooperation. It is also important to focus on the financing of proliferation, a topic on which much remains to be done. In 2016, Chile will host a training course for the focal points in the region, and we, together with Colombia, will undertake the development of a voluntary national plan of action and a peer review. We also recently coordinated a retreat for Working Group I on international monitoring and implementation. For us, it is a matter of commitment, because whatever any Member State does or does not do can have an impact on collective security. As Chile’s term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for 2014 and 2015 will end in a few days, we would like to express our gratitude to all those who have supported us in our effort to contribute to maintaining international peace and security. I would like to thank my colleagues, the Permanent Representatives and their teams, the whole United Nations system, particularly the Secretariat, the staff of the Security Council Affairs Division, the interpreters and naturally, civil society, which has provided us their perspectives on the ground. Although we must continue moving forward to address the effectiveness, transparency and coherence of the Council, I believe we have contributed to achieving that, in such measures as the adoption of the code of conduct, the declaration on abstention from the use of the veto, and the recent joint draft letter of 16 November from the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Council aimed at moving forward on the process of appointing the next Secretary-General. We hope that the Council’s transparency will continue to be reflected in the formal wrap-up sessions in the Council Chamber, so as to allow Members States to participate equally and record their statements, which can accompany the respective presidency’s informal briefing, interactively updated during his term. We trust that the Council will continue its in-depth focus on the protection of civilians and the most vulnerable populations and on resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolutions that maintain efforts to eradicate the use and recruitment of children, accompanied by the troop-contributing countries, all within the perspective of the contribution that inclusive development makes to the maintenance of international peace and security. The critical situations on the Council’s agenda require additional efforts to make it possible to respond in a timely fashion to the needs brought to its attention and to deal with the abuses and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, guaranteeing and ensuring that it will fight against impunity and reconciliation on situations for which we assume responsibility.

I thank the representative of Chile for his leadership on the Council for the last two years on a host of issues. I shall now make a statement, in my capacity as the representative of the United States, with regard to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). I again thank Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi for his informative briefing and his deep and personal commitment to this set of issues and for his leadership as the 1540 Committee moves through a period in which there is an appeal for more to be done and for all of us to combine our efforts to ensure that the Committee receives the support needed with regard to enforcement and implementation. There are few areas of such immediate and direct relevance to the maintenance of international peace and security as the efforts of Member States to prevent non-State actors from acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The recent terrorist attacks across the world have made clear the willingness of violent extremist groups to inflict mass suffering. Those attacks underscore why it is essential that the international community keep weapons of mass destruction out of their hands. We have made important progress since resolution 1540 (2004) was adopted in 2004. Some 174 countries, 90 per cent of Member States, have reported on the measures that they have undertaken to implement the resolution. But I agree very much with other Council members and with the Ambassador that, given the human stakes and the demonstrable malevolent intent of many non-State actors, including the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, we have to do more. Resolution 1540 (2004) has a global mandate, backed up by Chapter VII obligations, pursuant to the Charter of the United Nations. However, the Committee has not yet had to rely on such measures in order to achieve its objectives. Instead, it has engaged in dialogue with Member States and incrementally built up support for an international climate of non-proliferation through cooperation. In the Security Council, where political infighting all too often stands in the way of finding consensus, the 1540 Committee shows what can be achieved when such differences are put aside. The Committee is generally united on key issues and works as a team to effectively carry out its mandate. Under Spain’s leadership this past year, the 1540 Committee has made significant strides in promoting full implementation. For the first time since 2010, the Committee completed an assessment of all Member States on their implementation of the resolution. That was an arduous and highly technical effort. That monitoring and accountability allows the international community to measure progress in combating proliferation and the means of delivery of WMDs and to identify those areas in which we are coming up short, the areas to which we must pay the most attention. Furthermore, the Committee has made important strides to increase transparency. It will soon publish online its data set on Member States’ implementation of non-proliferation obligations, creating one of the world’s best information troves on the issue available to the public. Again, that is essential for accountability and for improvements. The Committee increasingly uses social media and public-service announcements, ensuring that the public is not only better informed, but also that the key actors, such as parliamentarians and civil-society partners, can help the Committee achieve its aims. Under Spain’s direction, the 1540 Committee developed and has started executing its plan for the completion of a second comprehensive review of the status of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). We look forward to robust participation of all States and relevant international, regional and subregional organizations, civil society and industry in the review process. The United States encourages the review to generate recommendations in the following areas, among others: closing the persisting gaps in implementation in the areas of biosecurity, chemical security, export controls and proliferation financing; making national reporting and Committee monitoring more regular and more robust; and improving the assistance process so that more States can implement the resolution. I have heard that a lot of States complain that they have been unable to gain assistance to remedy their reporting problem. In addition, we must develop better mechanisms for effective engagement by the Committee and Member States with parliamentarians, academics, industry experts and civil-society members in combating the proliferation of WMDs, especially to non-State actors, and making the Committee more effective and efficient in fulfilling its mandate, especially by identifying priority tasks for the Committee to complete by the end of its current mandate in 2021. Since the last briefing on non-proliferation before the Council in June (see S/PV.7469), the United States has continued to strengthen its efforts to combat proliferation by ratifying four important international non-proliferation instruments: the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and two Protocols to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation. As has been noted, the United States will also convene the fourth international Nuclear Security Summit beginning on 31 March 2016 to advance global measures to secure nuclear materials and facilities. By meeting the obligations of the resolution, every Government can do much to reduce the vulnerability of the entire international community to the threat. The United States looks forward to continuing to work closely with our colleagues and our allies and partners and everyone on the Committee and on the Council to deepen and broaden implementation of and support for resolution 1540 (2004). I now resume my functions as President of the Council. Before adjourning the meeting, as this is the last scheduled meeting of the Council for the month of December, although we are hoping to convene another again shortly on Libya, I would like to express the sincere appreciation of the delegation of the United States to the members of the Council, especially my colleagues, the Permanent Representatives and all of their staffs and to the secretariat of the Council for all the support they have given to us. I am not sure that this was the month that everybody bargained for, but it was the month that fortune handed us, and we got a lot of business done. The Secretariat, the interpreters and others must be truly exhausted, so we would like to thank them. I saw the Arabic interpreters fanning themselves earlier, which suggests that it is even worse up there than I thought. In 2016 we must deal with the conditions in the interpretation booths. We thank them all. As one of the faster speakers here, who tries to cram a lot in, I feel great sympathy for the interpreters. I feel I commit human rights abuses every time I give a speech, so our thanks go to the interpreters, who have done a tremendous job all of this month and all year. On behalf of everyone here, I would like to wish Uruguay the best. It is not easy to come onto the Council and immediately take over the presidency, but we have every faith in the great Uruguayan team and all the support that all of us intend to give them as they preside over the Council in January. I would now like to say a few words to the Council members who are departing. I often say to my own team that life lived prospectively on the Security Council can be very frustrating. One can feel as if one is watching paint dry and that we are not making enough progress. We are reminded of that every day by the human toll that is taken when we are unable to reach consensus, or when we reach consensus but our resolutions are not implemented. Sometimes, however, it is better to live life retrospectively, and to look back on what has been achieved over a longer period of time. I think all of us could benefit from doing that more often. I would like to single out each of the departing Council members. Chad has focused on peacekeeping issues. It is a country that knows of what it speaks, because it has put its troops in harm’s way in extremely difficult missions, particularly in Mali, where 18 Chadian peacekeepers in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali have been killed. Chad has led the Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, and we have just received another example of its commitment, which we will work on until the end of the month. We are not giving up on the month of December. Chad has also emphasized — in my view, really moving the ball down the field  — the relationship between the Security Council and regional and subregional organizations, including through the open debate it organized (see S/PV.7343). Although we were not able to take a trip to Burundi this month as we had hoped, it looks as if we will be taking one in January, and not a moment too soon. I think that trip will bear the hallmark of Chad’s influence on the Council, because we are thinking very carefully about how to do it in conjunction with the regional and subregional efforts that are under way. Even though Mr. Cherif will not be on the Council next year, his voice will be with us inside our heads. I would also like to commend Chad for the steps it has taken at home to eradicate the problem of child soldiers, which has given it a position from which it can lead. It is a very difficult issue, and Chad has done a great deal to ensure that its army does not include child soldiers and that recruits meet the minimum age requirements. Chad has taken that issue and has led with it here on the Council and in the broader United Nations community, and that is very important. Chile has made international justice a hallmark of its time on the Council, and that could not be more important. Its work culminated in resolution 2256 (2015), on the international tribunals, which we adopted today, but it has also banged the drum in every context on the issue of the protection of civilians. In the Arria-Formula meeting held earlier this month, Chile took up the issue of the responsibility to protect and non-State actors, which has not had enough attention. The open debate it organized during its presidency on the protection of civilians (see S/PV.7374) was on an important subject, but so was Chile’s voice in every discussion we have had, reminding people of the fates of civilians. For Haiti, although the work is not done and the elections have gone forward, Chile has also been one of the most important voices here, helping to lead and shape the trip that we took to Haiti as a Council 13 months ago. I do not know whether we would have predicted that the elections would have gone as well as they have, but I commend Chile for its leadership there and regarding the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti itself. In addition, I will always value the privilege I had of presiding together with Chile over the first-ever Council meeting on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues, and I am eternally grateful for Chile’s leadership on that. It was a harrowing briefing on what the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant is doing to LGBT persons, and not one that anyone in the United Nations community will forget, I think. Having Jordan on the Council, reminding us of the human toll that the Syrian conflict is taking and of the fact that Jordan has shouldered such an enormous burden, along with Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq, is extremely significant. The fact that Jordan was also a penholder on the Syrian humanitarian resolution was one of the main reasons we were able to secure the international border crossings in the way that we did. Having now renewed the agreements on those border crossings, we credit Jordan greatly for its leadership. I would also like to thank Jordan for its leadership on the signature issue of violent extremism, and for the way it has drawn the attention of the Council and the United Nations family to the issue of youth and extremism  — pointing out that if we do not get that right, we will not have success with any of the other steps we are taking. I believe we have only just begun to think about what it means to really target our efforts to that population. I did not think, when Ambassador Murmokaitė joined the Council, that her part of the world would take centre stage. It is unfortunate that it has and that events in that region turned so dark and deadly, although, fortunately, not in Lithuania. However, I can say that her courage and her voice will be remembered by the people of Ukraine, I know, in addition to whoever the groupies are who watch United Nations Web TV. Her performance and truth-telling has been a signature feature of her leadership here. I would also like to thank her for breaking a seal, in terms of Council meetings, by convening the first-ever meeting of ministers of the interior to look at border controls and foreign terrorist fighter flows (see S/PV.7453). I think we are going to see more and more of that happening at the United Nations, and it will always be Lithuania that led the way. In addition, Ambassador Murmokaitė has given much attention to the protection of journalists. Her work organizing the meeting on small arms (see S/PV.7442), over which she presided, along with the support of many Council members here has been tremendous, and she has been incredibly vigilant on the sanctions issue as it relates to some very serious crises in Africa. I know that she will be working right up until 31 December to try to ensure more progress. Finally  — and I am grateful to all for indulging me, but the people who are leaving the Council are amazing — I turn to Nigeria. Ambassador Ogwu is the voice of reason — as she just described, she is the only person here who quotes Shakespeare from memory, and I have never heard her repeat a Shakespeare quote, which suggests that she has memorized the complete works, and I congratulate her on that. This past year of Nigeria’s time on the Council has been a very difficult period for the country, with the advances of Boko Haram and, of course, the urgent need to mobilize international support for Nigeria’s efforts to fight Boko Haram in every area, not just militarily. In addition, Nigeria has just shown the world something very important through its peaceful transition of power from President Jonathan to President Buhari. That role modelling is probably more important than any resolution we adopt, as it shows a leader handing over power democratically and in accordance with term limits. That is inherently stabilizing. During its time on the Council, Nigeria has given attention to security sector reform and to dignity. Nigeria showed its leadership on Ebola, both within the country — by acting as a role model in eradicating the epidemic when it briefly sneaked in, showing the world how it could be done and giving people confidence in how the epidemic could be defeated — and also by using its leadership in the Council to rally the United Nations community around the issue. I just wanted to thank all those Council members. Those are just a few of their achievements. I am sure they have different versions of their own narrative history, but this is from just one observer who has had the privilege of listening to them. I became Ambassador to the United Nations in August 2013, so it was just in January 2014, when the five who are departing now came onto the Council, that I was finally learning my way around. I feel that I have grown up in the Council with them and could not have learned more or dreamed of having five better colleagues for the past two years. They care so much, and it shows in everything they do. I thank them and wish them well, as I do the incoming members, who will, I hope, amass the kinds of achievements that these great leaders and public servants have amassed in their time on the Security Council.