Thank you, Madam President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Terrorism continues to be a very real threat to innocent people around the globe. Terrorism must never be tolerated and can never be justified. It must be prevented and combated, both at the national and international level.
Terrorism can only be effectively countered by applying a broad range of measures: It is essential to address terrorism robustly by denying them safe havens, mobility and financing and making sure that terrorists are brought to justice. This is a necessary but not sufficient prerequisite for being successful. We need to supplement this by improving education, fostering cultural understanding, promoting economic and social development and encouraging peaceful co-existence and peaceful resolution of conflicts as well as respect for human rights regardless of background, ethnicity, gender og religion. Our efforts to combat terrorism will only succeed if they are in full accordance with the principles of the rule of law and universal human rights.
In all these sectors capacity building is of vital importance. Capacity building is the responsibility of every individual state, but the task is not easy. We must all be prepared to assist: Country to country and through the relevant UN-institutions. Let me in particular point to the obligations of member states under SCR 1373 (2001) to assist and promote cooperation among countries in countering terrorism, and to SCR 1535 (2004) which set up the Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) to facilitate technical assistance to member states.
In order for us to succeed, we need a well-coordinated, strategic, and sustained engagement by different parts of the UN system not only the UN bodies dealing with security but those dealing with development like the UNDP. Security and development frequently go hand in hand. The Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) both in coordinating within the UN system and in mobilizing support among member states for a universal implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We are pleased that the Task Force now has its own budget line and staff. The CTITF is currently assisting two countries with an integrated implementation of the Global Strategy. The project might be expanded to include more countries. We support this effort and look forward to a continued cooperation with the Task Force.
Madam President,
It is important to maintain targeted sanctions as an effective, legitimate and credible tool available to the Security Council in the counter terrorism context. To this end, the Nordic Countries welcome the progress achieved in enhancing the transparency and fairness of listing and delisting procedures of the 1267 Committee (Al Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee). Resolution 1904 as well as previous resolutions on the issue, such as resolution 1822 have added transparency and clarity to the procedures of the Committee by introducing a number of important innovations. One of these is the comprehensive review of the names on the 1267 list and the obligation by June 2010 to add narrative summaries of reasons for their listing.
Unfortunately, we now hear that this deadline is in danger and might not be kept. By mid-April only 136 out of 488 entries were reviewed. The Nordic countries encourage all states to cooperate with the Committee and respond to information requests in order for the Committee to complete its review in a timely manner.
The establishment of the Office of the Ombudsperson, by Resolution 1904, is another important innovation. We are pleased to see that the Ombudsperson institution - originally suggested by one of the Nordic countries – is now becoming reality. When the Ombudsperson is in office, this will mark an important milestone. Given the importance of the mandate, the Nordic countries now encourage swift appointment.
Once the implementation of these measures is completed they will further enhance the transparency of the procedures of the Committee and strengthen the due process rights of listed individuals and entities. The Nordic countries believe that the procedures for listing and delisting need to be kept under constant review, and that the Council needs to remain open for further procedural improvements in the regime, such as the establishment of an independent review panel.
Madam President,
How to limit the appeal of violent extremism is a question many countries try to address.
One area which needs increased attention in this regard is de-radicalization and rehabilitation programs aimed at bringing groups and individuals back into society. Several countries from various parts of the world now have considerable experience with such programs, and we welcome increased knowledge sharing on what works and what doesn’t work. This will enable us to develop more effective policies in the future. The UN might be able to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experiences between interested countries, and support those who need assistance in starting up such programs. The Nordic Countries believe that this should be discussed at the Second Review Conference for the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
Thank you for your attention