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Delivered by Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the UN ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė, Chair of the Counter-terrorism committee to the Security Council) Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,  Allow me now to turn to a statement on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, and to give an overview of developments in the work of this Committee and its Executive Directorate.  As you are all aware, Security Council resolution 2129 (2013) renewed CTED’s mandate until 31 December 2017 and provided policy direction for the work of the Committee and CTED to assist Member States to achieve full implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). In this context, I would like to address some of the key aspects pertaining to therealization of this overarching goal. 

National and regional assessment and follow-up, including efforts to ensure that Member States are provided with timely and appropriate capacity-building assistance, continue to be the central focus of the work of the Committee and CTED. This work has been strengthened over recent months by the introduction of new assessment tools and an increased focus on regional engagement and targeted follow-up to country visits. 

The new tools, namely, the overview of implementation assessment and the detailed implementation survey were designed to provide a more detailed assessment of national, regional and global challenges, shortfalls and good practices, as well as to help ensure more targeted and effective counter-terrorism capacity-building. Thus far, the Committee has assessed the implementation efforts of 27 Member States using the new assessment tools. 

In order to help the Committee provide ongoing policy guidance on capacity-building, CTED has continued to provide regular updates on progress on Member States’ implementation efforts in specific regions, as well as on specific terrorism-related issues, trends and developments. It has also continued to submit special reports on specific themes, events or situations that may have implications for capacity-building initiatives around the world. 

In addition, the Chair of the Committee, with the assistance of CTED, held in April an open briefing with the participation of Secretary-General of INTERPOL, Secretary-General of ICAO and Executive Director of UNODC on preventing the misuse by terrorists of travel documents and on terrorism prevention activities. 

The CTED’s country-assessment visits, conducted on the Committee’s behalf, continued to serve as a platform for direct interaction with Member States, as well as the foundation for facilitating the delivery of capacity-building assistance. The Committee approved a list of comprehensive, focused and follow-up visits to 40 Member States (in addition to 15 previously approved visits) during the period of 2014-2017.

The assessment process includes also in-depth and tailored regional dialogue with counter-terrorism practitioners, conducted in focus-group environments, aimed at achieving a more complete understanding of their working-level needs while also encouraging practical approaches to capacity-building and promoting regional cooperation. In this regard, for example, CTED launched in May the first annual meeting of professional networks of border police, customs and intelligence agencies to strengthen border-control cooperation in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel and the Maghreb. 

Effective delivery of technical assistance and training often requires a sustained regional dialogue, conducted over a number of years. This model has been successfully tested in South Asia, where it has resulted in the development of a platform that generates specific independent “spin-off” capacity-building deliverables, developed through dialogue and delivered by donors and providers. In April, for example, CTED convened the eighth regional workshop for judges, prosecutors and police officers in South Asia, which examined the work of training academies in the region. 

Continuing the practice of convening regular regional and thematic meetings and workshops helps to create an environment that best serves the interests of potential recipient States, as well as the community of donors and technical assistance providers, and to strengthen the coordination of activities and the identification of national and regional priorities. 

Member States and regional and subregional organizations may also request CTED to advise them on formulating national and regional counter-terrorism strategies. In this regard, CTED, acting in cooperation with the CTITF and relevant regional organizations, continued to assist Member States of Central Africa in their development of a regional integrated strategy on counter-terrorism and the non-proliferation of small arms and light weapons. In January and April, two regional workshops were held to draft the strategy’s border-control and law- enforcement-related elements. 

Another example of regional engagement is CTED’s continued participation in the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel and its implementation, working closely with other UN offices at Headquarters and on the ground, including the Office of the Special Envoy for the Sahel. 

The joint statement indicated how close collaboration of the Counter-Terrorism Committee with 1267 and 1540 Committees, as well of CTED with the respective expert groups, continued to serve as a platform for raising awareness, encouraging implementation of related mandates and joint technical assistance projects, where appropriate. This process has been reinforced in the Committee’s dialogue with Member States, many of which have emphasized the need for the delivery of capacity-building that address both counter-terrorism measures and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 

The Committee and CTED continue to promote effective implementation of Security Council resolution 1624 (2005), which focuses on the threats posed by terrorist incitement and the need to take effective countermeasures (which may include legal sanctions, as well as increased emphasis on dialogue and understanding). 

Measures taken by Member States to counter incitement and violent extremism have been intensively discussed during the country visits and in other settings. In this regard, this month CTED facilitated the organization in Kenya of a national workshop on the effective implementation of resolution 1624 (2005). CTED also continued to gather examples of good practices related both to legislation and other aspects of counter-incitement measures, such as educational programmes promoting peace, dialogue and understanding among civilizations. 

In December 2013, senior prosecutors from around the world gathered in Tunis to discuss the growing phenomenon of individual radicalization that results in terrorists acting alone or in small cells. This event, facilitated by CTED, was also attended by leading academics and representatives of international and regional organizations. The participants tested strategic assumptions and compared legal and operational tools to address this phenomenon, which remains little-documented and ill-defined. 

Even though the terrorist threat has become more diffuse, a strong and fair criminal justice system remains central to a comprehensive counter-terrorism approach. CTED continues to engage with Member States on ways to develop tailored and more effective judicial responses to emerging trends. 

As part of the Committee’s efforts to support States' efforts to bring terrorists to justice, CTED and UNODC have launched a joint global initiative to strengthen the capacities of national investigative, prosecutorial and judicial authorities. This multi-year initiative will address the challenges involved in effectively investigating and prosecuting terrorism cases while respecting human rights and the rule of law. 

The Committee and CTED continued to pay close attention to relevant human rights and rule-of-law issues, consistent with the Committee's policy guidance in this area. Human rights issues arise in virtually all areas of counter-terrorism, and the Committee and CTED remain committed to promoting the principle that all counter-terrorism measures must comply with Member States’ obligations under international law, including international human rights law, as a matter of both legal obligation and effectiveness of the implementation of such measures. 

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, 

Over the coming months, the Committee will continue to fulfill themandates conferred by the Security Council, including through the preparation of a special meeting on the issue of kidnapping for ransom, in accordance with resolution 2133 (2014), continued Committee visits to Member States and stocktaking of their implementation efforts, and further interaction with civil society, the private sector and academic institutions. The Committee and CTED will also continue to arrange open briefings on regional and thematic counter-terrorism issues for the wider UN membership, with a view to further enhancing transparency and strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism. 

Thank you.