What is The Counter-Terrorism Committee?

The Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) was established by UN Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), which was adopted unanimously on 28 September 2001 in the wake of the 11 September terrorist attacks in the United States.

The Committee, comprising all 15 Security Council members, was tasked with monitoring implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), which requested countries to implement a number of measures intended to enhance their legal and institutional ability to counter terrorist activities at home, in their regions and around the world, including taking steps to:

Criminalize the financing of terrorism

Freeze without delay any funds related to persons involved in acts of terrorism

Deny all forms of financial support for terrorist groups

Suppress the provision of safe haven, sustenance or support for terrorists

Share information with other governments on any groups practicing or planning terrorist acts
Cooperate with other governments in the investigation, detection, arrest, extradition and prosecution of those involved in such acts; and

Criminalize active and passive assistance for terrorism in domestic law and bring violators to justice.

The resolution also calls on States to become parties, as soon as possible, to the relevant international counter-terrorism legal instruments.

In September 2005, the Security Council adopted resolution 1624 (2005) on incitement to commit acts of terrorism, calling on UN Member States to prohibit it by law, prevent such conduct and deny safe haven to anyone “with respect to whom there is credible and relevant information giving serious reasons for considering that they have been guilty of such conduct.” The resolution also called on States to continue international efforts to enhance dialogue and broaden understanding among civilizations.

The Security Council directed the CTC to include resolution 1624 (2005) in its ongoing dialogue with countries on their efforts to counter terrorism.

Since 1 January 2016, Chair of CTC is H.E. Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations. To know more, click the source: https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/about-us/#CTED

UPDATE: Secretary-General António Guterres swears in Michèle Coninsx as Executive Director of CTED

Michèle Coninsx of Belgium was sworn in on 6 December 2017 as the new Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). Secretary-General António Guterres administered Ms. Coninsx’ oath of office.

Ms. Coninsx had most recently served as President of Eurojust, the European Union agency tasked with dealing with judicial cooperation in criminal matters. Joining CTED at the rank of Assistant Secretary-General, Ms. Coninsx took over from Jean-Paul Laborde of France.

CTED became fully staffed in September 2005 and was formally declared operational in December 2005. CTED’s mandate was extended until the end of 2021 by Security Council resolution S/RES/2395 (2017).

CTED comprises some 40 staff members, about half of whom are legal experts who analyze the reports submitted by States in areas such as legislative drafting, the financing of terrorism, border and customs controls, police and law enforcement, refugee and migration law, arms trafficking and maritime and transportation security. CTED also has a senior human rights officer.

CTED is divided into two sections: an Assessment and Technical Assistance Office (ATAO), which is further divided into three geographical clusters to enable the experts to specialize in particular regions of the world, and an Administrative and Information Office (AIO).

In addition, five technical groups work horizontally across ATAO to identify issues and criteria for making assessments in their particular area of technical expertise and then disseminate these across the three clusters. The groups deal respectively with technical assistance; terrorist financing; border control, arms trafficking and law enforcement; general legal issues, including legislation, extradition and mutual legal assistance; and finally, issues raised by resolution 1624 (2005); as well as the human rights aspects of counter-terrorism in the context of resolution 1373 (2001).

Across AIO, there is also a quality control unit to improve the technical quality and consistency in language and format of CTED documents and a public communications and outreach unit to strengthen its outreach activities.

In support of the Committee’s work on resolution 1624 (2005), CTED has prepared two reports (S/2006/737 and S/2008/2) summarizing the responses submitted thus far by about half of the United Nations membership.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED)

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres swears in Michèle Coninsx (Executive Director, Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate)

https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/about-us/#CTED

Under resolution 1535 (2004), the Security Council established the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) to assist the work of the CTC and coordinate the process of monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001).

UPDATE: Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate’s (CTED)

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

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

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

The Security Council unanimously adopting resolution 2395 (2017).

UNSCR 2395 (2017) inter alia:

• Reaffirms the overarching objective of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to ensure full implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and the central role of CTED within the United Nations for assessment, analysis, and expertise in counter-terrorism matters;
• Underscores that CTED’s assessments, and the analysis and recommendations from those assessments, are an invaluable aid to Member States in identifying and addressing gaps in implementation and capacity, and calls on the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), all other relevant United Nations funds and programmes, Member States, donors, and recipients to use these expert assessments in their development of technical assistance and capacity-building projects;
• Directs the Counter-Terrorism Committee, supported by CTED, to determine on an annual basis a list of Member States that CTED should visit (with the State’s consent) for the purpose of conducting assessments, and underscores that the composition of the list should take a risk-based approach that acknowledges existing gaps, emerging issues, trends, events, and analysis;
• Directs CTED to report to the Counter-Terrorism Committee by 30 March 2018 on potential ways to strengthen the assessment process, including through considering targeted and focused follow-up visits as complements to CTED’s comprehensive assessments;
• Requests the Counter-Terrorism Chair to invite assessed Member States to coordinate with CTED and UNOCT on the implementation of CTED recommendations, and for CTED to report within 12 months of the initial assessment report to the Counter-Terrorism Committee on steps taken to implement the assessment recommendations;
• Reiterates the essential role of CTED within the United Nations to identify and assess issues, trends, and developments relating to the implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005), 2178 (2014) and other relevant resolutions;
• Recognizes CTED’s relationships with relevant experts and practitioners in Member States, relevant international, regional, and subregional organizations, academia, think tanks, civil society, and the private sector;
• Recognizes CTED’s work on countering the use of the Internet and social media in furtherance of terrorist purposes, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms;
• Stresses that the heads of CTED and UNOCT should meet regularly to discuss areas of mutual interest and the incorporation of CTED recommendations and analysis into UNOCT’s work, particularly in the implementation of technical assistance and capacity-building.

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

https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/blog/2017/12/21/executive-director-welcomes-security-councils-adoption-of-cted-mandate-renewal-resolution/