EU Statement – United Nations Security Council: Cooperation of the UN with regional organizations: counterterrorism in Central Asia

25.09.2019
New York

25 September 2019, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by H.E. Mr. Peter Burian, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, at the Security Council debate on Cooperation of the UN with regional organizations: the role of SCO, CIS and CSTO in combatting terrorism with the focus on counterterrorism in Central Asia

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to represent the EU at this debate and to deliver this statement on her behalf and on behalf of its Member States.

The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia* and Albania*, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, align themselves with this [statement/declaration/Decision].

Mr. President,

The EU, being at the frontline in support of the UN counter-terrorism efforts, certainly has its role in this discussion, sharing its perspective.

Today, when we all are continuing to face the imminent threat of terrorism, comprehensive and coordinated approach of whole international community is needed as never before. Only together we will be able to respond to this threat, and this is why the EU is a convinced supporter of international and regional cooperation on this matter.

Central Asia was among the first regions who adopted the regional Joint Action Plan for implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, prepared with EU funding. This confirms that Central Asian countries share a common will to cooperate in tackling the threat, based on the UN principles and approach.

In this regard I would like to recall the recent Dushanbe (May) and Ashgabat (April) conferences, supported by the EU, along with the UN and the OSCE, as an example of promoting regional cooperation to address terrorism and its financing, strengthening the regional synergies and contributing to the global efforts by the UN.

Recently, the EU has adopted its new Strategy for Central Asia, presenting a vision and priorities for our relations with this region, covering multiple dimensions, including the security one. It conveys a strong message of the EU commitment to develop stronger, modern and non-exclusive partnership, including through enhancing cooperation in multilateral and regional fora with the UN at its core.

One of the key pillars of this Strategy is promoting the resilience, with countering terrorism linked to other important elements such as rule of law, good governance and many others.

In Central Asia we are further strengthening our support, including through our development assistance programmes focusing on counterterrorism and prevention/countering of violent extremism.

The STRIVE (Support to Resilience against Violent Extremism) Global Programme, funded by the EU and implemented by the Hedayah Centre of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism, is one of our flagship programmes, where we work in Central Asia. Another example is the EU/UN joint initiative on STRIVE ASIA, for which the EU and the UN are organising a joint event today here in New York.

It is essential to address prevention of radicalisation and focus on the root causes of terrorism. De-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration must be dealt as a package, to prevent further spread of terrorist ideology. The EU is ready to share its best practices and lessons learned with its partners.

Preventing and suppressing the financing of terrorist acts is another priority and obligation of states as recalled by UNSC Resolution 2462 and highlighted in the Dushanbe declaration. Countering terrorism financing must be a key part of our efforts to weaken and degrade terrorist organisations. In this regard, we must also ensure that our efforts are effective, while not limiting the space in which humanitarian actors can operate in a principled manner.

Foreign Terrorist Fighters and international travel of terrorists is another topic of the global debate with particular importance for the region. The EU is committed to ensuring the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2396 (on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts) and work with partners on it. It is crucial to hold Foreign Terrorist Fighters accountable for their actions and maximise the possibility of successful prosecution, while respecting international law, in particular human rights law.

In this regard we would like to commend Central Asian countries for their willingness to repatriate and reintegrate family members of FTFs, in particular children. We stand ready to support capacity-building programmes in partner countries having to cope with returning terrorist fighters and their family members.

Border security and information sharing are both crucial in terms of countering relocating foreign terrorist fighters as stressed by UNSCR 2396. In this context I would like to recall the EU support of effective border management through its Border Management Programme for Central Asia (BOMCA), entering into a new phase with a significantly enlarged budget and including Afghanistan.

A strong multilateral framework remains key – to build understanding of the nature of the challenges and establish cooperative mechanisms across continents. The UN role is indispensable in this regard.

We also would like to commend the OSCE for its role in the region contributing in building capacity to help implement UN commitments.

The fight against terrorism is a long-term effort that requires strong cooperation despite differences. We are actively seeking partnerships and collaborations with international and regional partners, and in this regard let me reaffirm once again the EU's keen interest in working together with all partners, based on shared internationally agreed standards and best practices in full compliance with universally agreed human rights and within the boundaries of the rule of law.

Thank you very much.

 


* The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.