S/PV.8460 Security Council

In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary- General, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and Ms. Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2019/103, which contains the eighth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat. I now give the floor to Mr. Voronkov. Mr. Voronkov: On behalf of the Secretary General, I would like to start by expressing my sincere condolences to and solidarity with Member States where terrorist attacks have recently taken place, namely, the Philippines, Mali, Colombia, Kenya, Afghanistan and Pakistan, to name but a few. I would also like to thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to brief the Security Council on the eighth report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/103) on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat, as requested by resolutions 2253 (2015) and 2368 (2017). The report was prepared by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team of the Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, and in close collaboration with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and other United Nations entities and international organizations. The report highlights that ISIL remains a threat as a global organization with a centralized leadership despite the decrease in the number international attacks and plots in 2018. The threat is increased by returning, relocating or released foreign terrorist fighters. The report illustrates how the United Nations has continued to support Member States in their efforts to address the threat since the Secretary-General’s most recent report (S/2018/770), which was published on 16 August 2018. Let me illustrate some key aspects of the new report. With its centre of gravity in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic, where it is reported to control between 14,000 and 18,000 militants, including up to 3,000 foreign terrorist fighters, ISIL has continued to evolve into a covert network that operates at the local level and organizes itself at the provincial level, with the stated intent of undermining any form of stabilization on the ground. Despite the more concealed or locally embedded activities of ISIL cells, its central leadership retains an influence and continues to seek to generate internationally directed attacks, thereby still playing an important role in advancing the group’s objectives. That is exacerbated by the challenge of foreign terrorist fighters who are leaving conflict zones, returning or about to be released from prison. In this context, radicalization in prison settings is seen as a particular challenge in Europe and Iraq. The report also notes that so-called frustrated travellers — namely, those who have failed to reach the core conflict zone or have been redirected elsewhere either by ISIL or at their own initiative  — may contribute to increasing the threat, which has already been observed in Europe and South-East Asia. Likewise, the handling of dependents, radicalized women and traumatized minors is pointed out as a challenge and potential serious threat. In terms of ISIL’s financial strength, the report notes that despite some loss of revenue due to territorial setbacks, ISIL could sustain its operations through accessible reserves, in cash or investment in businesses, ranging between $50 and $300 million. ISIL cells are also reported to generate revenue through criminal activities. The report accounts for the evolving threat and ISIL’s activities in different regions of the world, from the Middle East and Africa — particularly North, West and East Africa — to Europe, Central and South Asia, and South-East Asia. In the Middle East, the residual threat in Iraq is reported to emanate both from local ISIL remnants and from fighters crossing the border from the Syrian Arab Republic. Equipment has been retained from the time when its regime was intact. The report also highlights a threat posed by unarmed aircraft systems within the conflict zone. For Africa, the report highlights the threat posed by ISIL in Libya, where police stations in various locations and oil facilities have been targeted. In Europe, the number of returnees reaching the region in the period under review is reported to be relatively low. Approximately 1,000 foreign terrorist fighters are reported to have travelled from the Western Balkans to the conflict zone in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic; of those, 100 have been reported killed and 300 returned, with the remainder unaccounted for. In Afghanistan, ISIL is reported to control some training camps and to have created a network of cells in various Afghan cities, including Kabul. Furthermore, a close link between the local ISIL leadership and its core in the Syrian Arab Republic and Iraq is reported. ISIL also carried out several high-profile attacks throughout last year against a wide range of targets. ISIL has continued its attempts to expand its area of activity in Central Asia. For South-East Asia, the report observes an increasing role being played by young people and women in terrorist operations in the region. Against this background of continuously evolving challenges and the importance of the prevention of radicalization in light of an upcoming wave of released foreign terrorist fighters, the United Nations system has received a framework from the Council and the General Assembly for how to support Member States in their efforts to effectively counter the rapidly evolving and transnational threat from ISIL. The report of the Secretary-General outlines work done by the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities  — including CTED, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Development Programme, UNESCO, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Civil Aviation Organization, INTERPOL and others — in the fields of prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration; international judicial cooperation; countering the financing of terrorism; border management and law enforcement; countering terrorist narratives and engaging communities in preventing and countering violent extremism when conducive to terrorism. Assistant Secretary-General Coninsx, in her intervention, will highlight some of these activities in a more detailed manner. I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the fact that the Secretary-General, in this report, has encouraged my Office  — the Office of Counter-Terrorism  — to provide a forum in which relevant expertise and good practices can be shared in order to strengthen coordinated action to meet the ongoing needs of Member States. This is especially important in the area of addressing the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, including relocators and returnees. These efforts will be strengthened by a clearer and more logical United Nations counter-terrorism architecture, put in place through the launch of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact by the Secretary-General in December last year. That is a major step forward in enhancing overall coordination and coherence across the United Nations system. My office is also working, jointly with Member States, to implement the outcomes of the United Nations High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies, held in June last year, and organizing thematic regional events on countering and preventing terrorism. One such event, being planned with the Government of Switzerland, will focus on the foreign terrorist fighters phenomenon. The Secretary-General has stressed that despite recent successes against ISIL/Da’esh and its affiliates, the threat posed by returning and relocating fighters, as well as from individuals inspired by them, remains high and has a global reach. I would therefore emphasize that the recent ISIL losses should not lead to complacency at any level. The threat of terrorism is a global challenge. It has grown in magnitude and impact over the past several decades. It does not recognize any geographical or perceived borders. Given that complexity, it is only through a well-coordinated, multilateral response that we can address this challenge. I therefore, through the Council, request the continued support of Member States for the United Nations counter-terrorism work.

I thank Mr. Voronkov for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Coninsx. Ms. Coninsx: I thank you, Sir, for the opportunity to brief the Council on the eighth report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/103) on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States efforts to counter the threat. I would also like to thank Under-Secretary-General Voronkov for his overview of the report, both the United Nations Office of Counter- Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Analytical and Sanctions Monitoring Team for their support and collaboration in preparing the report. As we have heard, despite its dwindling territorial over territory that once provided it with resources and a base from which to plan and launch attacks, ISIL continues to present us with many complex challenges. This change in circumstances has forced the ISIL core to adapt and transform itself into a covert and more locally focused network in Iraq. Yet, ISIL has retained its global intent and global networks, with a presence not just in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic, but also in many other regions of the world. Of all international terrorist organizations, it remains the most likely to carry out a large-scale, complex attack. Its continued determination to undermine stabilization efforts and fuel sectarian tensions is also a major concern. As the report of the Secretary-General makes clear, Member States continue to face complex challenges in responding to the threat posed by ISIL and its affiliates. I wish briefly to highlight three of those challenges. First, in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic, ISIL’s destructive legacy remains. That legacy is manifested not only in the millions of displaced persons who continue to live in camps for internally displaced persons, but also in the damage inflicted upon buildings, infrastructure and the social fabric. During the joint high-level bilateral consultations held in Iraq with the Under-Secretary-General and myself last year, I witnessed the physical and social devastation caused by years and years of conflict. It was apparent that reconstruction would take many years and require significant resources, as well as restoring and reconciling communities after so many years of conflict. It will require comprehensive criminal justice that abides by the rule of law. And it will succeed only through the continued commitment and involvement of local, national, regional and international actors. The process of restoring justice and accountability will, of course, also require the effective collection, preservation and use of evidence. Member States operating in conflict and post-conflict environments face significant challenges in obtaining admissible evidence to prosecute and convict ISIL members for their crimes, including crimes of sexual violence and trafficking in persons, and to do so in accordance with international law and fair-trial standards. Where criminal-justice officials are unable to operate in high- risk environments, the military can play a crucial role in the collection, preservation and lawful sharing of evidence. Given those challenges, I welcome the establishment and work of the United Nations Investigative Team for Accountability of Da’esh/ISIL. CTED stands ready to support the Investigative Team in any way possible. Secondly, ISIL’s territorial losses have brought about an increase in the number of terrorist suspects and offenders in custody, including returning and relocating foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and their family members. Many States have alerted CTED to their difficulties in adequately assessing the risk posed by such prisoners, including men and women, and managing them in a manner that prevents further radicalization to violence in prison systems. It is vital that States continuously monitor, evaluate and review the effectiveness of their prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration strategies programmes. Any review of and oversight over those comprehensive strategies must include appropriate protection for international human rights, taking into consideration age and gender sensitivities. And those strategies must be comprehensive and mutually consistent with rehabilitation, whether in prisons or alternative settings, and linked to prosecution and reintegration. Thirdly, terrorist groups, including ISIL and its affiliates, have consistently demonstrated their intention and ability to exploit new technologies and seek innovative ways to circumvent obstacles to their financial, technical and recruitment capabilities. I will highlight a few examples in that regard. During our assessment visits to West Africa, we identified and flagged the increased use of mobile payment services by terrorist groups as a potential terrorism-financing risk. With concerns about the possible exploitation of blockchain technology, States are also seeking ways to address the potential risk posed by the misuse of cryptocurrencies for malicious, criminal or terrorist purposes. States are also increasingly concerned by the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in terrorist attacks around the world. Access to the relevant know-how, including through the Internet, and the ability to obtain precursor materials allows terrorists to build IEDs with relative ease. The gathering, preservation and sharing of digital evidence relating to terrorists’ exploitation of the Internet continues to play a crucial role in the prosecution of suspected terrorists. Within the framework of a joint global initiative implemented with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Association for Prosecutors, CTED will continue to support Member States’ efforts in that area, while facilitating the delivery of technical assistance and enhancing cooperation with the relevant stakeholders, including the private sector. We continue to face many challenges indeed in those areas, but we must also recognize our achievements. In that regard, I would highlight the work of the Counter- Terrorism Committee (CTC) and CTED in developing the addendum to the Madrid Guiding Principles. Formally adopted by the CTC on 27 December 2018, the addendum serves as a practical tool to assist States in addressing the FTF phenomenon, including by addressing the challenges posed by returnees and relocators. Its adoption followed extensive consultations with a broad range of stakeholders, including the wider United Nations membership, civil society, academia and the private sector. It provides guidance to Member States on responding effectively to the evolving FTF phenomenon, with a focus on measures to be taken in a number of areas including, but not limited to, border security information-sharing, countering terrorists’ narratives, countering violent extremism conducive to terrorism, risk-assessment and intervention programmes, judicial measures, including prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration, and international cooperation. The CTC and CTED will work closely with Member States to promote effective use of the Guiding Principles. The CTC will also hold an open briefing on the addendum to raise awareness on the Guiding Principles, facilitate open and interactive discussions on the challenges posed by the FTF phenomenon and promote discussion of priority capacity-building needs. In our country assessment visits on behalf of the CTC, CTED will continue to emphasize the need for Member States to implement the relevant Council resolutions and employ a comprehensive and a holistic response to the terrorist threat. We will also continue to support Member States in developing comprehensive responses to terrorism and to facilitate, in cooperation with UNOCT, the targeted delivery of technical assistance to States. We will continue to work with our implementing partners to deliver as One UN. CTED’s strategic support, UNODC’s technical expertise and key contributions from other United Nations partners have helped Member States in the Lake Chad basin to begin developing comprehensive strategies to prosecute, rehabilitate and reintegrate persons associated with Boko Haram. UNODC and UNOCT, in close cooperation with CTED, are currently engaged in a joint project to provide tailored capacity-building assistance to prison staff and other relevant stakeholders. The project aims to enhance prison security and safety, strengthen risk and needs assessments and enhance rehabilitation and reintegration. UNODC, CTED and the International Association of Prosecutors together developed the Practical Guide for Requesting Electronic Evidence across Borders. And UNODC and CTED recently deployed a United Nations consultant to support Iraq in the development of a comprehensive and integrated counter-terrorism strategy that will help Iraq address the post-ISIL environment in a holistic manner. Those are just a few examples of our collaborative efforts to support Member States in countering the continuing threat posed by ISIL. We will continue to work together with our many implementing partners, including Member States, other United Nations entities, international and regional organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector, to ensure a holistic and effective approach to this grave threat to international peace and security.

I thank Ms. Coninsx for her briefing. I now give the floor to those Council members wishing to make a statement.

I thank Under-Secretary-General Voronkov and Executive Director Coninsx for their briefings. We thank also the Secretary-General; the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities; and the staff of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (OCT) and of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), whose work underpins United Nations efforts to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS). The latest report on the threat posed by ISIS demonstrates the hard-won progress that we have made over the past several years. It highlights the fact that the number of ISIS attacks decreased significantly from 2017 to 2018 and that the group has suffered significant military setbacks across the board, notably in Iraq, Syria and the southern Philippines. These successes are a testament to the work of the global coalition to defeat ISIS, which just met in Washington, D.C., last week. Coalition operations have liberated all of the terrain that ISIS once controlled in Iraq and more than 99 per cent of such territory in Syria, including key cities in both countries. The global coalition, by destroying ISIS-controlled energy assets and removing key ISIS commanders responsible for finance, has also severely degraded the ability of ISIS to raise funds and finance its operations. The coalition is committed to preserving the successes that we have achieved. To date, coalition partners have pledged more than $1 billion in stabilization programming in Iraq and more than $325 million for stabilization assistance in Syria. These projects are key to securing military gains and restoring peace. The coalition is helping Iraq’s local security forces make their cities safe for the local population. We are helping to clear neighbourhoods of mines and explosive remnants of war and to restore basic municipal services. In Syria, we are working to relieve the suffering of ISIS victims. The United States is the largest single humanitarian donor country to the Syrian people, having provided $9.1 billion in humanitarian assistance since the start of the crisis for those displaced inside Syria and throughout the region. All that being said, much more work remains to be done to defeat ISIS. ISIS is seeking to survive, reconstitute and ultimately re-emerge in Iraq and Syria. ISIS is also coordinating with affiliates to plan attacks elsewhere, including Afghanistan, South-East Asia and West Africa. As ISIS evolves, we must adapt to the changing threat it poses. To do so, the United States is working to identify and stop foreign terrorist fighter travel and to disrupt ISIS’s global network of affiliates. We now have information-sharing arrangements with more than 60 countries to identify and track the travel of suspected terrorists. Approximately 70 countries have laws to prosecute and penalize foreign terrorist fighter activities, but we need many more on board. These efforts complement the work taking place more broadly at the United Nations on foreign terrorist fighters. Thanks to CTED and the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee, Member States now have comprehensive guidance on how to address returning terrorist fighters through the recently adopted addendum to the Madrid Guiding Principles. We urge countries to use that guidance now. We strongly support the OCT’s efforts as well, including its role in providing technical assistance to Member States as they implement obligations under resolution 2396 (2017). The OCT’s new project on enhancing the capacity of Member States to detect foreign terrorist fighter travel via the use of advanced passenger information and passenger name record data is one that we particularly hope will make a positive impact. We strongly encourage the United Nations to continue guiding and enabling Member States to comprehensively prosecute, rehabilitate and reintegrate foreign terrorist fighters and those associated with them, including children. The work of the United Nations in this area and, more broadly, on counterterrorism and on preventing violent extremism must include civil-society participation, and we expect the OCT to continue to mainstream civil society into the core of its work. We also expect CTED to continue its important work on civil society, human rights and integrating a gender perspective, as cross-cutting issues vital to its mandate. Our collective success against ISIS has demonstrated what we can accomplish when we bring all of our tools to bear. We cannot relent in this fight. The United States will continue to work with our partners to pursue, degrade and, ultimately, defeat ISIS and Al-Qaida.

We, too, would like to welcome the convening of this meeting and the informative briefings provided by the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, whom we thank for their important work, carried out in close collaboration with the Council. As has been noted, while the Islamic State has become a covert network, particularly in Iraq, it continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security. The fight against that scourge cannot be considered as having ended. The report of the Secretary- General (S/2019/103) highlights the fact that the current goal of ISIS is to continue to undermine Government activities aimed at stabilization and reconstruction and in general thwart economic progress. At the same time, the possibility of a resurgence cannot be discounted, in particular in the region of the Levant. We recognize that the return or transfer of foreign terrorist fighters and their families also represents a serious threat. We would therefore underscore the fact that the Counter-Terrorism Committee adopted, on 27 December last, an addendum to the Madrid Guiding Principles. The addendum contains very useful guidelines on issues ranging from enhancing the capacity to detect and prevent travel by terrorists, to measures to strengthen protection of critical infrastructure, including ways of increasing the effectiveness of legal action and international cooperation. It is therefore necessary to develop adequate policies for prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration that are based on full respect for human rights. Another related challenge is the situation of fighters who have been freed and their necessary and proper reintegration into society. In that context, we believe that national criminal justice systems must play a key role in this process, particularly in preventing prisons from becoming terrains for greater radicalization and recruitment, including through the use of suitable information and communication technologies. We also underscore the importance of the gender perspective in the fight against terrorism, as well as the impact of terrorism on children, particularly those who are accompanying returning or relocating fighters. The financing of the Islamic State is also giving rise to serious concern. While its income has been reduced substantially, in line with the reduction of the territory it controls, it has been estimated that it nevertheless has significant cash reserves in Syria, Iraq and neighbouring countries, with the strategic goal of financing attacks when the opportunity arises. Against that backdrop, we reiterate the importance of financial intelligence systems, including the cooperation of financial intelligence units with the private sector, as well as the need to monitor the flow of cash, which is the vehicle through which terrorists mobilize that resources. Here we would underscore the link between organized crime and terrorism. The report reflects this reality not only when referring to the financing of terrorism and money laundering, but also to the threats linked to drug trafficking and trafficking in persons and weapons. We deem it crucial to continue to deepen our knowledge about the nature of such a link, as set out in the presidential statement issued by the Council on 8 May 2018 (S/PRST/2018/9). In this context, we also underscore the need to prevent the possibility of terrorist groups, particularly Da’esh, benefiting from the trafficking of cultural heritage, in keeping with resolution 2347 (2017). Finally, we reiterate that particular relevance of ensuring that there is no impunity for the crimes committed. We therefore welcome the progress made by the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Persons Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, as well as the official launch of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. However, we deplore the fact that to date no member of Da’esh has been tried for sexual crimes, in spite of it having been noted that sexual violence was used as a terrorist tactic. Finally, we reiterate our categorical rejection of terrorism and our solidarity with the victims of such heinous acts. Peru will continue to support all multilateral efforts, including in the context of the Council, to provide a comprehensive and balanced response to this scourge that is in line with international law.

I thank Under-Secretary- General Vladimir Voronkov and Ms. Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate, for their informative briefings. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate, the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team pursuant to resolutions 1526 (2004) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities and the Office of Counter-Terrorism for the eighth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat (S/2019/103). I would first like to concur with what Under- Secretary-General Voronkov said in his statement with regard to the fact that the threat of terrorism is a global challenge that does not recognize borders and is complex in nature, which means that addressing it effectively requires a collective effort on the part of the whole international community. That is why the Council continues to play a crucial role in this issue. Although the numbers in the report show that the areas in Iraq and Syria controlled by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) are shrinking, we must not lower our guard. We must continue our efforts to stop the expansion of Da’esh and the creation of its affiliated cells in Central and South-East Asia, Libya, Afghanistan, West Africa, as well as other countries and regions. This year alone, we have witnessed terrible terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, Kenya and the Philippines. While there are numerous burning issues under discussion with regard to preventing and countering terrorism, I would like touch on three that are of special importance to Poland. First, we must step up our efforts to prevent and counter the financing of terrorism. As the most recent report of the Monitoring Team shows, ISIL remains the richest terrorist group in history, with the potential for continuing to carry out attacks for years. The risk that the Secretary-General’s report identifies of abuses of unregulated new technologies and payment modalities for the purposes of financing terrorism is a serious threat wherever it might occur. The terrorists’ sophisticated adaptation strategies are forcing us to adjust our legal and operational frameworks. Enhancing the transparency of financial flows, information-sharing and cooperation with the private sector is vital. Member States should strengthen their efforts to freeze the assets of all individuals and entities on the Da’esh and Al-Qaida sanctions list. If implemented effectively, targeted financial sanctions are an important way of depriving terrorists of their money. The second issue that we consider very important is the need to pay special attention to women and children associated with foreign terrorist fighters. Those associated with such fighters who are returning from conflict zones and relocating may require special focus and assistance, as they may have served in many different roles. As the Secretary-General’s report reflects, a significant number of children affiliated with ISIL have been detained in Iraq and Syria. They are very often held in poor conditions with a very small chance of returning to their parents’ States of origin. Poland encourages Member States to use the guidance provided in the December 2018 addendum to the Madrid Guiding Principles (S/2018/1177, annex), which Ms. Coninsx highlighted in her briefing, and which advises countries to put special safeguards and legal protections in place, in full compliance with their obligations under international law, and to ensure that the competent authorities consider the impact of terrorism on children and children’s rights. Poland calls on all parties to bear in mind that children should primarily be considered victims entitled to full protection of their rights, and that alternatives to detention should be in place whenever possible. We also have to remember that human rights are not a complementary or secondary issue in the discussion of measures to prevent and counter terrorism. To echo Ms. Coninsx, in our view all activities aimed at fighting terrorists must be conducted in full compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law and must never be used as a pretext to undermine international humanitarian and human rights law standards. The third issue is ensuring accountability. Too few terrorists have been brought to justice. Given the fact that foreign terrorist fighters and their families are relocating, Member States must redouble their international judicial cooperation efforts, as well as those aimed at prosecuting, rehabilitating and reintegrating terrorists. That means expanding the collection, analysis, preservation and sharing of data, including evidence, which should be conducted in full compliance with human rights and the rule of law, because accountability and justice depend very much on the kind of data and evidence we manage to collect. In that regard, Poland welcomes the commencement of the work of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. We are firmly convinced that its efforts to collect, preserve and store evidence in Iraq of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide will produce substantive findings.

We thank you, Mr. President, for organizing today’s briefing. We are grateful to Under-Secretary- General Voronkov and Executive Director Coninsx for their briefings. We believe firmly that productive cooperation with their entities will guarantee progress in the work of combating terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations. We share many of the views expressed in the eighth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat (S/2019/103). For our part, we would like to note the following. In our view, the reports’ central focus should continue to be on providing information on terrorists’ resource bases and efforts to undermine them. We want to emphasize once again that any trade or economic relations with individuals or organizations involved in the activities of members of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) represent a gross violation of Security Council resolutions. All the essential resolutions on this issue were adopted long ago. They must be conscientiously implemented, not considered as something meant for somebody else. Despite significant successes in combating terrorism in Syria and Iraq, the Middle East continues to be a stronghold for ISIL’s leadership. Their attacks have continued, including on civilians. As they lose ground, they continue to attempt to establish close collaboration with their brothers in arms  — the same kind of terrorists, still operating in the Middle East, just under different names. The efforts to crush ISIL in Iraq and Syria continue. We are pleased that the stabilization of the military and political situation in both countries has helped to shrink the channels and volume of financing for illegal armed groups. In Syria in particular, having lost control over enormous amounts of territory, the terrorists have also lost a source of income in the form of the various ways they have been extorting the population. Russia has helped to normalize the situation in Syria and Iraq through its cooperation on counter-terrorism cooperation, including through the Baghdad coordination centre. The de-escalation efforts undertaken by the country guarantors of the Astana process have had a positive effect in Syria. We are also concerned about the unresolved problem of repatriating foreign terrorist fighters who fought for ISIL and are still in Syria to their countries of origin and bringing them to justice. We would like to stress the need to invite the representatives of the States that have suffered the most from terrorist activity, foremost among them Syria and Iraq, to the relevant briefings on ISIL, and the importance of obtaining information from the conflict zones. For that it is essential to work directly with the Governments of those countries. A major focus for us has been the movements of foreign terrorist fighters seeking to continue their terrorist activity in other conflict zones, such as countries in Africa, particularly in the Sahara-Sahel region, and Afghanistan. Despite the undoubted losses it has suffered in the north, the Afghan wing of ISIL remains one of the key destabilizing factors in the country. Its expanding ideological, propaganda and recruitment activities, which make intelligent use of information and communications technologies, present an additional danger. Its activities in Afghanistan are fuelled by foreign terrorist fighters with combat experience from Syria and Iraq. In our view, the continued presence of this group in Afghanistan represents a threat to the States that are its neighbours in Central Asia. The high number of suicide bomber attacks also suggests that the group possesses serious human resources. We have seen a certain amount of progress in the work being done by neighbouring States to block terrorism financing channels. For understandable reasons, ISIL’s revenue from smuggled petroleum products has also continued to dwindle. Last autumn, however, fighters seized several oilfields in Deir ez-Zor governorate, which for several months enabled them to resell a certain amount of fuel for between $30 and $35 a barrel through intermediaries. On the whole, since the previous report (S/2018/770) was issued, the key areas of revenue for the major terrorist groups in the region have not seen significant changes. Fighters continue to take hostages for ransom, traffic in drugs, agricultural products and human organs, and sell looted cultural heritage objects on the black market. They are also filling their coffers by trading in industrial products such as sulfuric and phosphoric acids and cement, investing in fish- farming in Iraq, speculating in stock markets, profiting from cryptocurrencies, online-casino gambling and e-commerce scams and supplying counterfeit medical products. In some cases fighters have been compelled to sell their weapons and ammunition to support their activities. However, we should not assume that ISIL and Al-Qaida’s leaders are content with the resources they have. Together with their accomplices in organized criminal groups they are constantly seeking new financing sources for their activities. For example, they have attempted to establish control over drug- trafficking and mineral-smuggling routes from Asian countries. As I mentioned earlier, Afghanistan is of particular interest in that regard. Illegal enterprises mining, processing and shipping abroad iron, copper, gold and precious and semi-precious stones have been established in a number of Afghan provinces. In that context, we want to once again draw the Council’s attention to the research on ISIL-related financial flows that since 2016 has been conducted on Russia’s initiative within the framework of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on money laundering. To date, the FATF secretariat has received information from more than 40 jurisdictions that has enabled it to compile a broad picture of the ISIL financial and economic machine. Unfortunately, despite our repeated appeals, the crucial task of cutting off supplies of military-related products to terrorist organizations has taken a back seat in the United Nations. It is no secret that the grey market for arms export is frequently exploited in order to supply militants with weapons. When the deals are relatively transparent, terrorist groups often operate in the guise of so-called opposition movements in order to get access to such products. We urge all States to pay special attention to the issues of regulating the activity of middlemen, criminalizing illicit brokering, developing flexible systems for risk assessment for exports, improving information-sharing between Governments and creating monitoring and control mechanisms for arms transfers. For our part, we intend to continue to play an active role in global anti-terrorism efforts and in supporting United Nations activity in the area, including by assisting foreign partners, and we affirm our interest in constructive dialogue with all interested parties.

China would like to begin by thanking Under-Secretary- General Voronkov and Executive Director Coninsx for their briefings. We welcome the Secretary-General’s latest report on countering the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant to international peace and security (S/2019/103). Afghanistan, the Philippines, Kenya and Mali have recently been hit by a spate of terrorist attacks, resulting in enormous damage in the affected countries. As the Secretary-General’s report points out, international counter-terrorism efforts have registered major progress. However, the threat posed by terrorism persists, and the challenges in addressing that scourge remain daunting. Terrorism is the common enemy of humankind and no country can cope with it alone. The international community should embrace the concept of a shared future for humankind, enhance results- oriented cooperation, maintain unity and respond collectively to terrorist threats. First, we must seek further international consensus and form synergies. In order to combat terrorism, all countries should uphold a single standard and adopt a zero-tolerance policy. International counter-terrorism efforts should abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, respect the sovereignty of the States concerned and the ownership of Member States, give full play to the leading role of the United Nations and its Security Council and fully implement the relevant Security Council resolutions and the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Secondly, we must strive to eliminate the sources that give rise to terrorism and address both its symptoms and root causes. The international community should help Member States to achieve socioeconomic development and promote the settlement of hotspot issues by political means. We must commit to building a new kind of international relations and to promoting equitable dialogue and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations and religions. Terrorism should not be associated with any specific country, ethnicity or religion. The international community should provide assistance to developing countries and strengthen Member States’ capacity-building in the area of counter-terrorism. Thirdly, we must take the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters seriously and stop terrorist organizations from misusing the Internet and telecommunications technologies. We should support Member States in fully implementing the Madrid Guiding Principles and their 2018 addendum (S/2018/1177, annex), and strengthen border management and cooperation in areas such as law enforcement, intelligence-sharing and mutual legal assistance. In response to terrorism’s emerging trends and characteristics, we should focus on enhancing international cooperation in combating cyberterrorism, terrorist financing and the spread of extremist ideologies. Fourthly, we must leverage the various advantages of specialized mechanisms such as the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter- terrorism, and the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities. We should give full play to those entities’ roles in capacity-building, assessing terrorist threats and enhancing sanctions measures. All counter- terrorism mechanisms should continue to enhance their communication with Member States, carry out their work in strict compliance with the relevant resolutions and rules of procedure, and maintain sanctions regimes’ authority and effectiveness in order to continue to improve their contributions to the cause of international counter-terrorism. China categorically rejects terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Over the past few years, the violent terrorist elements of the so-called East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) have planned and carried out a number of terrorist attacks on Chinese territory, and have also posed a serious threat to countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. Fighting the ETIM’s violent terrorist forces should be part of international counter-terrorism efforts and should be met with resolute measures. As a crucial member of the international fight against terrorism, China has been deeply involved in international cooperation through mechanisms and platforms such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We have also supported Member States’ capacity-building in that area through the United Nations-China Peace and Development Trust Fund, thereby making an important contribution to international counter-terrorism efforts. China stands ready to work together with all countries to respond to the threat of terrorism and maintain world peace and tranquillity.

Let me start by thanking very sincerely Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and Assistant Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx for their briefings and ongoing efforts to work with Member States on strengthening counter- terrorism. We also thank the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team for its contribution. It is as pleasing as ever to hear from both of them how closely they are working together. We welcome that very much. I thought that the example that Michèle Coninsx provided with regard to the Lake Chad basin was comprehensive and very valuable. The United Kingdom is proud that, as a leading member of the Global Coalition, it has made a key contribution to the progress made against Da’esh. However, Da’esh is still the most significant terrorist threat to the United Kingdom, and therefore it remains a top counter-terrorism priority for my country. Even with the prospect of losing all territory, Da’esh continues to pose a threat to international peace and security around the world. While it has transitioned into a more diffuse and networked structure, Da’esh retains its leadership and capacity to inspire and encourage others to do great harm. The group’s attacks not only take innocent lives, but threaten the safety and cohesion of all of our communities. I echo what the Russian Ambassador said about the importance of cutting terrorists off from sources of finance. We know that this is a threat that moves fast and takes on different forms. Returning and relocating foreign terrorist fighters, frustrated travellers and individuals or small groups perpetrating attacks with little centralized direction all mean that we must ensure that our prevention measures and responses are tailored to the current threat. No State can do that alone. We have previously mentioned to the Council that we have invited the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) to conduct an assessment of the United Kingdom. That is not only because we hope that we have a good story to tell and good practices and experiences to share, but also because we value the opportunity to learn from other States and engage in dialogue. We would encourage others to do the same and invite CTED to carry out assessments. In the United Kingdom, we have a new counter- terrorism and border-security bill going through our system, which aims to ensure that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the powers that they need to help keep the country safe from the threat posed by terrorism and hostile State activity. We are seeing increased concerns about violence perpetrated by groups ascribing themselves to extreme right-wing ideologies. In 2016, National Action became the first right-wing group to be proscribed in the United Kingdom. At that time, the Home Secretary said that National Action was a racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic organization that stirred up hatred, glorified violence and promoted a vile ideology. It has absolutely no place in a Britain that works for everyone. We have also seen the disruption that unmanned aerial systems, or drones, can cause, and we are ramping up our efforts to ensure that our responses and the tools we have at hand keep pace with the evolving challenges. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/103) highlights the roles of women. We have seen in many places women exploited to carry out attacks, taking advantage of cultural and gender stereotypes and operational loopholes. Women are also victims of horrific acts of terrorism, including, infamously, sexual violence at the hands of Da’esh. The Council has made efforts to ensure accountability for Da’esh through resolution 2379 (2017). At the same time, women have also been key partners in prevention and response. We know that many women’s organizations are on the front line doing important work in the areas of early warning, building resilience and rehabilitation and reintegration. We were pleased to contribute to the recent report of the United Nations Development Programme and the International Civil Society Action Network, entitled Invisible Women: Gendered Dimensions of Return, Rehabilitation and Reintegration. All of that underscores the importance of integrating gender as a cross-cutting issue. In the United Kingdom, our national action plan on women and peace and security includes strategic targets pertaining to preventing violent extremism, and we have a cross-cutting counter-terrorism gender strategy. At the United Nations, we encourage both CTED and the United Nations Office of Counter- Terrorism (UNOCT) to focus on concrete actions in that regard, as outlined in resolution 2242 (2015), the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and CTED’s recent mandate. I just want to reiterate that that is in response to a real threat and is therefore about delivering real-world counter-terrorism effectiveness. The Council’s counter-terrorism framework lays out a carefully negotiated set of obligations and mandates to ensure that States can most effectively prevent and counter the threat. Member States, of course, bear the primary responsibility to do so, and many of the obligations fall to national actors, but where additional capacity-building is needed, we need CTED to identify gaps and UNOCT and other United Nations partners to support efforts to fill those gaps. In doing so, they should work closely with civil society, the private sector, experts and specialized United Nations agencies and partners, taking advantage of respective expertise and capability. It is very important that all work closely together. Once again, let me welcome the personal leadership of Under-Secretary-General Voronkov and Assistant Secretary-General Coninsx in this area. It is also important, however, that there be no confusion with regard to mandates in the eyes of Member States. We welcome the active United Nations responses to the threat outlined in the report and would also like to take the opportunity to thank the Office of Counter- Terrorism for its work in developing the multi-year appeal and the comprehensive and detailed information shared with Member States on capacity-building activities. We all have a complicated task before us. We have just agreed on a very interesting and substantive programme of work and list of activities for the Counter- Terrorism Committee, and we know that it is key that we remain responsive to emerging trends and dynamics. Let me reiterate our support for Executive Director Coninsx and her determination to ensure that CTED continues to fulfil its mandate, conferred upon it by the Council, in a comprehensive manner that takes into account the full spectrum of counter-terrorism issues, including prevention, human rights and gender, for example, as well as legal, law enforcement, border security and other such matters. As terrorism adapts, so too must we ensure that our responses reflect contemporary realities. Let me also express my support for what Assistant Secretary-General Coninsx said about not only the importance of the Madrid guiding principles in and of themselves, but also the way in which they were developed in an inclusive fashion with a range of actors. Of course, that is very pertinent to UNOCT through its strategy, as endorsed by the General Assembly. We have much in common. We all want to protect our countries, peoples, communities and values, all of which terrorists threaten. That threat requires a multidimensional response. It requires us all to work together, and we must use and improve all of the tools at our disposal to meet our responsibilities and obligations.

I should like to join others in warmly thanking Under-Secretary- General Vladimir Voronkov and Assistant Secretary- General Michèle Coninsx for their very informative briefings and the exemplary commitment that they and their teams have demonstrated in our common struggle against terrorism. As the eighth report of the Secretary-General (S/2019/103) on this topic underscores, despite the loss of its territorial entrenchment Da’esh continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security. The group has evolved into an underground network relying upon dispersed cells potentially comprised of former foreign terrorist fighters and, as we know, its propaganda continues to attract many sympathizers. In that regard, clearly now is not the time to lower our guard or decrease pressure on Da’esh. It is therefore necessary that the efforts of the Global Coalition against Da’esh be pursued both in terms of its military commitment and of civilian component in support of the implementation of a pluralistic and inclusive political solution in Syria and Iraq. Clearly, that is the only lasting response to prevent the re-emergence of Da’esh in other forms. With that in mind, the Foreign Ministers of the Global Coalition reaffirmed their commitment in unison on 6 February in Washington, D.C. Similarly, accepting impunity for the crimes committed by Da’esh is not an option. We have the political, legal and moral responsibility to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted and sentenced to the fullest extent of the law. Justice meted out with respect for human rights and the rule of law is also essential to peace and reconciliation. It requires the strengthening of judicial systems and sound international judicial cooperation. France particularly welcomes the contribution of the team created by the Council  — the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant — which is intended to help gather evidence to prosecute those responsible for crimes committed by Da’esh in Iraq. In addition, our efforts must continue to focus on three priority areas for action, which are clearly set out in the Secretary-General’s report. Our first priority is the fight against terrorist financing, which is a top priority for France. During the Arria Formula meeting, which we organized with other partners on 31 January, we noted that there are still many challenges to be met in order to adapt our response to the threats posed. Sharing information, combating anonymous transactions, identifying the sources of financing, anticipating the misuse of new financial instruments, making a collective commitment not only to vulnerable countries but also to failing countries, and international sanctions are all priorities on which we must make progress. That is why, after inviting the international community to Paris last year for the No Money For Terror conference and after consulting with the relevant actors, France has decided to submit a draft resolution on the subject with a view to adopting it in the coming weeks. We will work closely with Council members and look forward to everyone’s commitment and support. Our second priority is managing the return of foreign terrorist fighters. Faced with that challenge, we must continue to strengthen measures to detect, treat and monitor people at risk, including through constant information-sharing. Given the variety of profiles concerned, close coordination among civil, military and financial intelligence services and agencies, as well as among judicial authorities, is essential to strengthening the interaction between intelligence action and the criminal justice response. The involvement of the education, social services and justice sectors is essential to helping the families concerned. France’s national strategy places particular emphasis on providing care specifically for children, in particular at the sociopsychological and educational levels, to promote their reintegration. Our third priority is preventing the use of the Internet by terrorist groups. France intends to continue to play a leading role in that fight. Considerable progress has been made and Internet companies are mobilizing. However, much remains to be done and we will pursue our efforts, in particular in the European context, to more effectively prevent the spread of terrorist propaganda that fuels radicalization and to support the development of positive counter-narratives. Combating the financing of terrorism is also a priority for us in other forums, in particular within the framework of the European Union and of our presidency of the Group of Seven this year. The United Nations has an increasingly vital, unifying and recognized role to play in each of those areas. We thank the Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT0 and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) for the outstanding work they do every day. We also rely on UNOCT and CTED to continue to address, as their respective mandates provide, more cross-cutting issues, such as respect for and the promotion of human rights or the integration of the gender dimension in the fight against terrorism. You may rest assured, Sir, of France’s full support to United Nations entities in their efforts to identify needs and the best ways to meet them and to promote coordination among all relevant actors. Considerable progress has been made on these various issues and it is vital that it continue.

First of all, I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and Executive Director Michèle Coninsx for their excellent briefings and for their leadership and demonstration of cooperation, which we appreciate very much. I would like to make three remarks today. First, with regard to the situation on the ground, countering terrorism continues to be at the top of our international security agenda. While we have seen broad progress in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) in Syria and Iraq, to which Germany is contributing substantially as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, it is now crucial to remain engaged. The job is far from being done. We need to create conditions on the ground that disallow the continuation of ISIS as an underground network. In spite of recent losses by ISIS, the threat it poses remains imminent and very substantial. The military campaign in the last areas under ISIS control in the Middle Euphrates Valley continues. However, ISIS is no longer in a position to levy taxes and has also lost significant sources of revenue. The loss of territory and decrease in resources do not mean the end of the terrorist organization. Fighters who have dispersed are more difficult to locate and terrorist networks, such as ISIS and Al-Qaida, have proven time and again that they are quick to adapt to changing circumstances. I could not agree more with the statement by Under-Secretary- General Voronkov, who said that recent Islamic State losses must not lead to any complacency whatsoever. I think that that is the key message. ISIS obviously continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and stability. My second remark is about human rights, conflict prevention and gender. During our campaign for a seat on the Security Council, Germany stressed the importance of conflict prevention, respect for human rights and the inclusion of the gender perspective in the work of the Council. The discussion today proves our point. The situations in northern Iraq and Syria show that we need to remain vigilant and try to solve conflicts before they degenerate into violence. They show that disrespect for human rights is a factor that can lead marginalized people to violent extremism and into the hands of terrorist networks. They also show that women find themselves in horrific conditions in violent conflict situations. The Secretary-General’s report (S/2019/103) highlights the role of women for good reason. I would just like to make three very short points on that issue. First of all, I would like to stress that Germany has welcomed many Yazidi women, men and children from the territory formerly controlled by ISIS in northern Iraq. Secondly, I would like to refer to the Arria Formula meeting held in January on the women and peace and security agenda in the Middle East and North Africa as a milestone. We feel that we should build on that with a view to our future work. Against that background, Germany intends to initiate an open debate on conflict- related sexual violence during our upcoming presidency in April. Thirdly and lastly, the representative of the United Kingdom referred to resolution 2242 (2015), which contains important language on women and on preventing and countering violent extremism. Germany also feels that it is essential that this very important resolution be properly implemented. My third and last remark is on the broader strategic way forward. Terrorists need to be vigorously pursued and prosecuted. However, for sustainable long-term success in the fight against terrorism, it is crucial to follow a holistic approach with a balance of preventive and repressive measures. To deal with the challenges posed by returning foreign terrorist fighters and their families, a broad approach that includes criminal justice and police measures, as well as deradicalization and reintegration, is also needed. With regard to what specifically can and should be done, let me just mention some such measures that are crucial from our point of view. As many previous speakers have said this morning, we must work against radicalization in prisons. Another point is that law enforcement and border control agencies need to be equipped with the necessary tools to do their job. We should also highlight the necessity of electronically accessible terrorist watch lists. All Member States that are not doing so already should consider working closely with INTERPOL and making full use of its databases, such as on lost or stolen travel documents. We must also stress the role of biometrics and advance passenger information systems. In addition, let me highlight that last autumn, our Dutch friends made their passenger name record software available to the wider United Nations membership. The so-called Travel Information Portal can be used by United Nations Members free of charge. We feel that that is a very important initiative and we would like to encourage the widespread use of the software. We would also like to applaud the French initiative to present a resolution on combating the financing of terrorism. Drying up the financial sources of terrorism is crucial to the overall success of counter-terrorism. We strongly support the French commitment. In the same vein, we are strongly committed to supporting the work of the Financial Action Task Force as the body for setting international standards on anti-money-laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. We support and implement all relevant Security Council resolutions in that regard and will use our membership on the Security Council to further streamline international efforts. We must also ensure broader respect for human rights and the rule of law. They should be no less important in the international fight against terrorism and are a crucial component. Lastly, we should support the work of Daniel Kipfer Fasciati, Ombudsperson of the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, which is vital to the credibility, fairness and effectiveness of the sanctions regime. To conclude on a more general note, I would like to say that we need to uphold the level of fairness and respect for human rights in our reactions to terrorism. Only by upholding our values and standards will we be able to defeat the terrorist ideology. International cooperation remains key to our success. We must keep prevention, foreign terrorist fighters, terrorist financing, information sharing, terrorist use of the Internet, aviation security and all the other issues that many previous speakers have mentioned this morning very high on the international agenda.

I thank you, Mr. President, for holding this important meeting. We also thank the briefers Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and Ms. Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, for their briefings and efforts. We underscore our full support to them. Today, in my statement I will focus on three main issues: first, the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS/Da’esh); secondly, the challenges facing the international community in fighting that threat; and, thirdly, the international cooperation that we all desire. First, with regard to the threat posed by Da’esh, the number and scale of terrorist attacks launched by it has recently decreased due to many factors, including the efforts of the international community, in particular the international coalition against Da’esh. That has led to a significant decrease in the number of its militants in Iraq and Syria, which, according to relevant reports, is now estimated to be between 14,000 and 18,000 militants. However, Da’esh continues to pose a real and direct threat. It is able to quickly adapt and transform and to use its available capacities and financial resources, in coordination with other terrorist groups, in order to implement its plans whenever it can. We must take into account that a significant number of its militants are returning, relocating or released foreign fighters. Hence, our responsibility now is to unite international, regional and subregional efforts and to promote the effective use of tools and measures to keep pace with the rapid tactical changes made by Da’esh to implement its agenda and plans. We reaffirm what was stated in the joint ministerial statement adopted at the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Global Coalition against Da’esh, held in Washington, D.C., on 6 February, concerning the commitment of the Coalition States to the guiding principles adopted in Kuwait in 2018. Secondly, with regard to the challenges facing the international community in fighting that threat, perhaps the most prominent of those challenges facing us today is the ability of Da’esh to finance its terrorist actions through acquired financial assets estimated at between $50 million and $300 million, or by self- funding through illicit actions such as blackmailing, kidnapping for ransom and transnational organized crime, as well as the use of social media and other kinds of media. Da’esh spreads its message through the media in order to recruit and to announce its local actions and news, in addition to the negative impact of returnees or relocating foreign fighters and their families. All those challenges require international and national preventive measures within comprehensive national strategies to address the financing of terrorism and to counter terrorist narratives. That includes the implementation of the provisions of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 2354 (2017), as well as the implementation of the comprehensive international framework to counter terrorist narratives and other relevant Security Council resolutions. We stress the importance for Member States to implement resolution 2396 (2017), which calls for reassessing the situation of individuals returning from conflict zones and their families and applying administrative justice by adopting special legislation in every country that focuses on a comprehensive and clear concept for rehabilitation, within mechanisms in line with the Madrid Guiding Principles and in respect for human rights. Concerning the crimes committed by Da’esh, we stress the need to hold the perpetrators accountable, including for those crimes that amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. We support the international mechanism established by resolution 2379 (2017) to support local efforts to hold Da’esh accountable. We commend the tremendous efforts of the sisterly Iraqi Government in fighting Da’esh and in liberating the Iraqi territories. Thirdly, with regard to the desired international, regional and subregional cooperation to fight the security challenges posed by terrorist groups to the entire international community, that requires the following: exchanging information, improving protection, addressing the root causes of terrorism, and preventing incitement to terrorism. We must also remove the sources of revenue of terrorist groups, train law enforcement officers, ensure support for young people and education and sign bilateral and multilateral agreements. The current cooperation among United Nations agencies and bodies, regional organizations and Member States pertaining to capacity-building and the exchange of expertise is critical and essential and we look forward to further promoting it. In conclusion, we should all be aware that, while the Global Coalition has made military advances against Da’esh and the international community has made tremendous efforts to eradicate Da’esh, that terrorist group continues to pose a threat to international peace and security. It is a global group with a centralized leadership. If we do not unite the efforts of the international community in order to target the financial, logistical, military, intelligence, security and media networks of the group, it will re-emerge in crisis and conflict hotspots and the international community will suffer great losses. We in the State of Kuwait renew our firm position of condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations regardless of the motivations behind it. Terrorism is a criminal act that is unjustifiable and must not be linked to any religion, nationality, culture or ethnicity. Fighting terrorism requires mobilizing the efforts of the international community to overcome this criminal scourge by taking measures to respect human rights, the rule of law and good governance.

I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for having convened today’s briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. We are grateful for the briefings presented by, respectively, Mr. Voronkov and Ms. Coninsx. South Africa believes that this meeting could have been further enriched had the Council invited the countries most affected to participate in the briefing. We will hope that it will do so in future. The threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) may have evolved and changed, but it has not diminished in any way. Given ISIL’s global reach, countering it requires a coherent, coordinated response that is underpinned by strengthened cooperation at the domestic, bilateral, regional and international levels, including the sharing of information and experiences. The United Nations remains key in the coordination of the international community’s efforts in this regard, and the importance of its support for Member States in addressing their specific challenges in countering ISIL cannot be underestimated. We welcome the efforts of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the Security Council and its Executive Directorate in this respect. South Africa has always supported a holistic approach to countering the threat of terrorism. Terrorism should be addressed in its totality, not only in its individual components. Security measures alone will not succeed in countering the terrorist threat. Addressing what gives rise to it and its prevention are equally important. In that connection, South Africa supports a whole-of-Government and a whole-of- society approach that also addresses the role of women and children, youth, civil society, the private sector and communities in dealing with terrorist acts. We welcome the Madrid Guiding Principles and the addendum (S/2018/1177, annex) that has been developed to complement them. In South Africa’s fight against terrorism, we have, under our Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act, incorporated means of addressing the financing of terrorism, complemented by South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre, which is part of a global network of similar centres dealing with tracing illegal financial flows to terrorist groups, and good cooperation with the private sector. It is also of great importance to South Africa to emphasize that measures taken to counter the threat of ISIL comply with our obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, as well as the principle of the rule of law. South Africa remains concerned by the presence of terrorist groups in Africa, including in sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel, West and East Africa, and, recently, in some parts of our own region, which have links with ISIL and its evil ideology. Over the years, the African Union (AU) has taken a number of initiatives in the fight against terrorism. In 2002, 17 years ago, the AU adopted a plan of action on the prevention of and combat against terrorism. In 2011, the AU Commission developed an African Model Law on Counter-Terrorism. We will continue to spare no effort to ensure that this destructive phenomenon does not take root in our region, and we will continue to work closely with the international community, including the United Nations, in the fight against terrorism.

My delegation welcomes the holding of this informational meeting on the threat that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant poses to international peace and security as well as on the efforts made by the United Nations to help Member States to counter this threat. It congratulates Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and Ms. Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, on their high-quality briefings. Terrorism is one of the major security challenges facing humankind today. The report of the Secretary- General on this scourge (S/2019/103) has prompted my delegation to make a number of comments on the terrorist threat, the challenges to be met and the role of the United Nations. Concerning the level of the threat, my delegation notes with concern that despite the important setbacks that Da’esh has experienced, it remains a real threat to international peace and security owing to its capacity to adapt, the lure of terrorist propaganda and its considerable financial reserves. According to the Secretary-General’s report, the organization has several thousand combatants around the world, including in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. My delegation concurs with the Secretary-General’s assessment of the danger represented by foreign terrorist fighters, whose movements and return to their countries of origin remain a major source of concern. It believes that prisons are potential areas of radicalization and supports the conclusions reached on the expansionist tendencies of terrorism, whose ramifications affect all regions of the world. In the face of this constantly evolving threat, the mobilization of the international community remains more necessary than ever. On the challenges to be met, it is undeniable that the fight against terrorism requires a holistic approach on the part of the international community based on harmonized actions that will allow us to respond to this threat effectively. Indeed, in order to be effective, this combat requires the full implementation by all Member States of their obligations at the international level, in particular with respect to monitoring and the criminal prosecution of terrorist activities. This will also require an updating of our measures to combat this phenomenon and a revising of legislation aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of counter-terrorist criminal justice. At the national level, States must prevent radicalization by improving coordination between services focusing on detection and those dealing with suppression. We also must devise strategies to manage and control the flow of foreign terrorist fighters. Particular attention should be paid to the situation of women and children connected to such fighters. The strengthening of aerial safety measures is also essential. This will require awareness-raising as concerns the threat and the sharing of passenger name records, in a framework of international, regional and subregional cooperation. Furthermore, the eradication of terrorism requires that everyone be involved in the fight against the financing of this global phenomenon. Our joint efforts must contribute to cutting off sources of financing for Da’esh and its affiliates. With this in mind, my delegation calls for the creation of appropriate cooperation mechanisms, better information-sharing, the promotion of cooperation between the public and private sectors and the strengthening of our legislative frameworks. On the role of the United Nations, my delegation welcomes the support provided by the United Nations to Member States in the implementation of their respective obligations. It commends in particular the outstanding work done by the Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate, which led to the adoption on 27 December 2018 of an addendum (S/2018/1177, annex) to the Madrid Guiding Principles of 2015 aimed at helping Member States deal with the return and relocation of foreign terrorist fighters and their accompanying family members. My delegation also welcomes the launch of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact on 6 December 2018, which is aimed at strengthening joint United Nations action against terrorism. Côte d’Ivoire welcomes also the support provided to Member States in the devising of comprehensive prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration strategies in the fight against violent extremism, as well as the assistance provided to improve security and safety in prisons. In conclusion, my delegation reaffirms the need for all States to resolutely commit to the fight against terrorism until it is eliminated. For its part, Côte d’Ivoire will continue to support actions initiated within the framework of multilateralism with a view to giving a robust global response to the terrorist threat. In that context, we welcome the forthcoming regional and thematic events planned as part of the follow-up actions to the High-level Conference of Heads of Counter- Terrorism Agencies, held in New York on 28 June 2018.

At the outset, we would like to thank and congratulate the Secretary-General for his report (S/2019/103), which highlights the latest trends in the international terrorist threat posed by Da’esh. We also thank Ms. Coninsx and Mr. Voronkov for their excellent briefings. We are pleased to note that the Security Council has the necessary tools, through the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the Monitoring Team, to conduct an independent and in-depth analysis of the threat posed by Da’esh. We commend its fruitful cooperation with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and encourage it to continue on that path. We note that, although Da’esh as a territorial entity has been virtually defeated, its negative impact on international security remains substantial and it continues to attract some individuals, including from within Europe. The international community remains deeply concerned about managing the return of foreign terrorist fighters and their families from Syria. Diplomatic, legal and logistical difficulties persist in ensuring the prosecution and security of foreign terrorist fighters held in temporary camps and those still at large. Belgium has opted for a holistic approach to fighting radicalization in our country. We believe that the same approach, focusing not only on punishment but also on prevention and reintegration into society, should also apply to foreign terrorist fighters and their families returning to Belgium. Our policy takes into account the risk to public safety but, at the same time, the Belgian Government recognizes its international obligations in the area of humanitarian law and respect for human rights, including the rights of the child. Belgium therefore gives priority to the return of terrorist fighters that are children under 10 years who are still in the conflict zone, and takes measures to ensure their rehabilitation and recovery. Once minors are returned to Belgium, they will be provided with tailored assistance that takes into account their individual situations. To address the global threat posed by Da’esh, and in particular by foreign terrorist fighters, we have the right tools at our disposal. The recently adopted 2018 addendum to the 2015 Madrid Guiding Principles, which guides us in implementing resolution 2396 (2017), is very useful. It proposes a balanced approach to counter-terrorism measures, while emphasizing the importance of prevention. Let us now make its implementation one of our main priorities. We are very much in favour of the new draft resolution on terrorist financing announced by France, to which we will lend our full support. As part of its holistic approach, promoting justice and the fight against impunity are priorities for Belgium. The fight against impunity is not only essential in and of itself, but also as a tool for prevention and stabilization. That is why Belgium supports the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011 and its Investigation Team in gathering evidence of crimes committed by Da’esh in Iraq. However, there are still problems related to the terrorist threat that are not being sufficiently addressed. We take note of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2019/103), which shows that, despite the comprehensive documentation of acts of sexual violence committed by Da’esh members, no prosecution of those crimes has taken place yet. Those acts are a source of serious concern for Belgium; they should be addressed by establishing appropriate preventive structures, fighting impunity and strengthening other deterrent mechanisms, such as sanctions. Lastly, as the report points out, the risk does not disappear after terrorists and foreign terrorist fighters are prosecuted and convicted. States face the challenge of ensuring the deradicalization of prisoners and preventing them from radicalizing their fellow prisoners. We welcome the capacity-building efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in collaboration with the Executive Directorate, but we also recognize that much remains to be done to fight that phenomenon at the global level.

We would like to thank you, Mr. President, and your delegation for convening this morning’s meeting on the strategic report (S/2019/103) of the Secretary-General on the threat to international peace and security posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) (Da’esh). We are also especially grateful to Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and Ms. Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, for their contributions on the current state of affairs. We continue to commend their critical work. As we have heard, ISIL continues to pose a serious threat to international security and peace. That should keep alive the Security Council’s concern and sense of urgency, despite acknowledgements of the concrete progress made in combating and eradicating that threat, with the support and effort of all actors involved, including States, the international community and civil society. The ongoing transformation of ISIL into a covert global network, the activities of its regional affiliates around the world, the challenge posed by the return and relocation of foreign terrorist fighters, the new reality that we face, the result of those terrorist groups’ ability to adapt and the evolution of policies and actions to fight them, call for greater collaboration among States to strengthen joint global efforts, which means making adjustments and undertaking new initiatives and actions. It is precisely ISIL’s ability to adapt and take advantage of spaces, with or without weak, fragmented Governments or marginalized communities, that makes us reflect on the growing importance of addressing the causes that give rise or fuel radicalization and violent extremism, particularly among youth and, to an equal extent, women. Statistics indicating that about 10 per cent of the 40,000 people who travelled to join ISIL are minors and that about 20 per cent of foreign fighters are women and girls point to the need to focus on prevention as a key element in the fight against terrorism. The stories that recently emerged in interviews about women under ISIL’s control being accompanied by children and fleeing from the clutches of that terrorist group show the level of persuasion and coercion to which those women are exposed to join ISIL’s ranks, which erases all human impulse of concern for the protection and well-being of their own children. We must recognize the challenge faced by countries of origin, and cooperate accordingly, by the return of ISIL foreign terrorist fighters and in developing strategies for prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration, in particular with regard to fighters’ family members. Following their radicalization and traumatic violent experiences, women and children can unfortunately pose a future threat. In that regard, we underscore the important work carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate and the Committee’s December 2018 adoption of the addendum to the Madrid Guiding Principles to facilitate the work of Member States in addressing the challenges posed by the return and relocation of foreign terrorist fighters and their family members, while remaining sensitive to issues concerning gender, age and human rights. Another issue mentioned in the report that we would like to stress is the need to continue to deepen international cooperation among States with regard to both judicial processes and efforts to impede the financing of terrorism. We deem close cooperation among the relevant authorities in the collection, management, preservation and exchange of information, including digital information, as crucial. To that end, it is necessary to shore up trust and cooperation among agencies in the area of information-sharing, while recognizing that the threat posed by ISIL and other terrorist groups is serious, imminent and shared by all. In order facilitate such international cooperation, it is necessary to implement agreements and protocols within the framework of national legislation and relevant international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law, that would make it operational. Likewise, it is important to complement such initiatives with training, procedural manuals, forms and platforms, among other concrete steps mentioned in the report. Concerning new methods and modalities used to finance terrorist group, including some as sophisticated as cryptocurrency exchange platforms and those that are more common in today’s economy, such as digital wallets and mobile payment services, international cooperation continues to be key to effectively combat terrorism.

Like others, I would like to thank you, Sir, for convening this very important meeting. I also wish to thank Under-Secretary-General Voronkov and Assistant Secretary-General Coninsx for their informative briefings. Let me also express my gratitude to the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, the Office of Counter Terrorism and the other relevant United Nations entities for the comprehensive report (S/2019/103) before us. We note certain salient points in the report, including that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) has transformed into a covert network and currently carries out fewer attacks. However, despite the enhanced efforts of the international community, the recent heinous and cowardly attack that took place at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu province in the Philippines demonstrates once again that ISIS remains a serious threat. Indonesia once again condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, no matter its origins or motivations. No justification is good enough, and we once again express our objection to any attempt to link that menace to any specific religion, nationality, people or civilization. With that in mind, this statement will focus on three issues. First, as it relates to the threat of terror in South-East Asia, with the defeat of ISIS in Syria we have observed the shift to our region of, inter alia, its propaganda, radicalization and recruitment. We also continue to be concerned about the threat of returning, relocating or released foreign terrorist fighters to various regions and countries. One of the most alarming trends is the recruitment and radicalization of women and children, especially those who are well educated and come from middle-class backgrounds. Another key concern for us is the growing number of frustrated travellers who were not able to enter the battlefield in Syria or elsewhere. They are not only being redirected by ISIS, as mentioned in the report, but some, of them have on their own initiative, plotted attacks and become suicide bombers as a means of demonstrating their existence to ISIS leaders. It is also our assessment that terrorist planning and logistics are shifting towards high-tech and cyber activities, including online transactions and fraud, social-media fundraising, crowd-funding and donations, while not delving into the issues of easily accessible digital wallets and other applications that facilitate financing. Secondly, it is important to develop adaptive capabilities to confront increasingly dynamic and complex challenges. Given the nature of the challenge, we need to be not only decisive in our policies but also innovative and practical in our approach. The pace of our cooperation must match a wily opponent who is quick to evolve. We should also be flexible in our strategies and adaptive in our actions. But let us also not forget the importance of a holistic and comprehensive approach at every stage. We cannot undertake deradicalization efforts that only lead back to prison, for instance. We believe that in relevant cases those efforts must include the post-detention phase and full integration into society. We must avoid re-radicalization and future re-involvement. Therefore, we urge the relevant United Nations entities to continue to support Member States in their efforts to develop comprehensive prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration strategies. My last point concerns international cooperation. Indonesia would like to underscore once again the importance of international cooperation to address the threat posed by terrorist activities. While continuing with hard measures, including in the areas of the exchange of intelligence and information, countering terrorism financing, and border security, we should invest further in soft measures to steer people away from extremism. We need to change our mindset, not thinking only of financing terrorists but also of how to use financial tools to curb terrorist activities. Changing mindsets is an important point. We need to promote dialogue and tolerance and give a voice to moderation as the best way to confront hatred, prevent incitement and eliminate conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. I would also like to take this opportunity to formally welcome the addendum to the Madrid Guiding Principles, which was adopted by the Counter-Terrorism Committee in December 2018, and the valuable guidance it provides to Member States in addressing the challenge of returning and relocating foreign terrorist fighters. It is of the utmost importance that we utilize all the existing tools in our arsenal, including making full use of our sanctions regime to deny funding to individuals and any entities that continue to support ISIS. For many years, Indonesia has held that the root causes of terrorism must be addressed, including prolonged, unresolved conflicts, poverty and injustice. We do not justify terrorism, but ignoring those issues do not make them any less relevant, let alone eliminate them. The Security Council, as mandated by the Charter of the United Nations, should devote its attention to addressing those unresolved conflicts. Let me conclude by sounding a note of caution concerning our approach. It is critical to ensure that all measures against terrorism be taken in compliance with international law, human rights law and the Charter of the United Nations. In the view of Indonesia, measures or approaches that undermine the principles of international law and human rights, for any reason, would not only be counterproductive but also erode the political legitimacy necessary to sustain the global efforts to fight terrorism. ISIS remains a scourge for humankind. Although its members’ impact has been hindered in conflict areas, the group continue to have the ability to move its theatres to other parts of the world. One bomber is enough to cause chaos and suffering, and requires a meagre level of financing. We need to be vigilant and resolute in our joint actions. Only then will we succeed.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Equatorial Guinea. Our delegation thanks the Secretary-General for his eighth report (S/2019/103) on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security and on the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat. I also thank Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, Head of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and Ms. Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, for their informative briefings. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea categorically condemns terrorism. We firmly believe that terrorist acts are unjustifiable and constitute one of the most serious threats to global peace and security. We also believe that they remain one of the most serious contemporary issues, at the national, regional and global levels. No country has been spared the threat or can face it alone. As Mr. Voronkov and Ms. Coninsx pointed out in their briefings, although there were fewer Da’esh attacks in 2018, that organization remains the most dangerous terrorist group and the one that receives the most funding. It has a leadership structure that in based in the Middle East and a covert global network that includes local cells and foreign terrorist fighters and their families in Africa, Asia and Europe. Equatorial Guinea remains deeply concerned about issues relating to foreign terrorist fighters and their families, accountability and international criminal justice cooperation systems and the strengthening of the joint United Nations response to terrorism. In that regard, we acknowledge and highlight the sharing and implementation of responses adapted to changing threats, such as the addendum to the Madrid Guiding Principles, adopted in December last year by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), concerning counter-terrorism. As we did during the negotiations, we encourage States to invest in training and technical assistance so that countries in need, especially developing countries, can implement the 17 guiding principles, in particular those related to border control and data-collection and maintenance. We also welcome the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Coordination Compact, the reform of its architecture and the work of the first United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL. Equatorial Guinea believes that it is necessary to recognize and assist the victims of terrorism and prosecute and convict all those responsible for sexual-based violence, kidnapping and trafficking so as to prevent impunity. As stated by the Security Council in many of its resolutions, and last week at the Arria Formula meeting organized by France, the fight against the financing of terrorism is one of the most strategic tools for putting an end to terrorist acts. Since Da’esh is the terrorist group that receives the most funding, it is extremely important to strengthen cooperation among States and other actors, such as the private sector and civil society, in the fight against terrorism financing. In that regard, Equatorial Guinea reiterates its full commitment to continuing the fight against terrorism in all its aspects, including funding. The growing nexus between Da’esh and transnational organized crime has the potential not only to increase its capacity to generate terrorism but also to increase its global impact. We believe the nexus must be further studied in order to eliminate it. Da’esh is present in Africa mainly in the north, the Sahel, West Africa and East Africa, where the presence of foreign terrorist fighters and collaboration with other terrorist groups and organized crime have also been reported. We believe that it is necessary to identify and neutralize the growing terrorist cells in the region and the presence of lone-wolf actors, who pose a significant threat to international peace and security and, at the same time, are increasingly diverse and difficult to predict. To that end, it is also essential that efforts to prevent terrorist attacks and avoid radicalization and violent extremism be accompanied by investment in sustainable development, as such investment helps to empower countries over the long term and prepare them for combating cyberterrorism. There is no doubt that many States face serious difficulties in dealing with terrorist threats, owing to a lack of resources and capacity. We reiterate the need to ensure technical assistance for the effective implementation of Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on the issue. We also encourage the United Nations and the international community to support the efforts of States in order to prevent them from becoming safe havens for foreign terrorist fighters and criminal groups. A better collective response in Africa requires the strengthening of the necessary international, regional and subregional cooperation for effectively exchanging information and best practices. Equatorial Guinea has ratified several international counter-terrorism conventions and complies with the regulations of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community and the Economic Community of Central African States in that area. We pledge to continue to do so. In conclusion, we congratulate and encourage the excellent efforts of the United Nations Counter- Terrorism Office, the 1373 Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate, the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, and its Sanctions Monitoring Team. We encourage the United Nations to work with, and in support of, countries for a world free of Da’esh and terrorism. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers.