UN and Global Counter Terrorism Strategy

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UN and global counter terrorism strategy

CHAPTER- 1

Introduction

Counter-terrorism incorporates the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that

governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to attack terrorist threats

and/or acts, both real and imputed.

The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strateg !as adopted b "ember

States on # September $%%&. The strateg, in the 'orm o' a resolution and an anne(ed )lan o'

*ction, is a unique global instrument that !ill enhance national, regional and international

e''orts to counter terrorism. This is the 'irst time that all "ember States have agreed to a

common strategic approach to 'ight terrorism, not onl sending a clear message that terrorism

is unacceptable in all its 'orms and mani'estation but also resolving to take practical steps

individuall and collectivel to prevent and combat it. Those practical steps include a !ide

arra o' measures ranging 'rom strengthening state capacit to counter terrorist threats to

better coordinating United Nations sstem+s counter-terrorism activities. The adoption o' the

strateg 'ul'ils the commitment made b !orld leaders at the $%% September summit and

builds on man o' the elements proposed b the Secretar- General in his $ "a $%%& report,

entitled Uniting against Terrorism ecommendation 'or a Global Counter- Terrorism

Strateg.


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CHAPTER- 2

Implementation

The September $%%& UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strateg calls 'or a holistic and

inclusive approach to counter terrorism. t includes not 0ust la! en'orcement and other

securit-related preventative measures, !hich have been the Securit Council+s 'ocus since

September $%%1, but also gives priorit attention to addressing underling conditions

conducive to the spread o' terrorism, such as povert, lack o' good governance, and social

and economic marginali2ation.1 This gives it broader appeal than the Securit Council

counterterrorism program, !hich has generall 'ocused on la! en'orcement and other

securit-related issues. The Strateg is also clear about the imperative 'or respecting human

rights and promoting the rule o' la! across ever element o' the document and throughout its

implementation. 3ne o' the Strateg+s achievements is that 'or the 'irst time the United

Nations+ global membership has agreed that addressing conditions conducive to the spread o'

terrorism is an essential part o' an e''ective and comprehensive strateg to combat and

prevent terrorism.$4 elaborating a broad range o' counterterrorism measures, underpinned

b the commitment to uphold the rule o' la! and human rights, the UN Strateg rein'orces

!hat man terrorism e(perts have long 'elt, namel that an e''ective counterterrorism

strateg must combine preventive measures !ith e''orts to address both real and perceived

grievances and underling social, economic, and political conditions.

)art o' the Strateg+s signi'icance lies in the 'act that it is an 5instrument o'

consensus6 on an issue !here consensus has been di''icult to achieve at the global level.

*lthough it does not add anthing not alread contained in pree(isting UN counterterrorism

1 . The 'our pillars o' the UN Strateg are 718 measures to address the conditions conducive

to the spread o' terrorism9 7$8 measures to prevent and combat terrorism9 7:8 measures tobuild states; capacit to prevent and combat terrorism and to strengthen the role o' the United

Nations in this regard9 and 7ork, # September $%%&, Section .


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resolutions, norms, and measures, the Strateg pulls them together into a single, coherent, and

universall adopted 'rame!ork.

4 'ocusing on the 5so'ter,6 longer-term side o' counterterrorism, the Strateg o''ers

states and other stakeholders in the subregion a 'rame!ork through !hich to promote a more

holistic response to the threat. t represents a conceptual shi't a!a 'rom a primaril la!

en'orcement/militar approach to this 5so'ter,6 more holistic one, !hich might be

characteri2ed as a 5human securit6 approach to counterterrorism. 4 doing so and b

re'lecting the vie!s o' the UN General *ssembl 7and its universal membership8, the

Strateg has helped move the counterterrorism discourse at the United Nations closer to the

5*'rican6 perspective. ' this conceptual shi't is going to succeed in practice, ho!ever, states

in the subregion, as !ell as donors, need to re'lect this change o' emphasis in their policies.

?onors and the United Nations need to emphasi2e the development pillar o' the Strateg and

in particular target disa''ected and marginali2ed groups and parts o' the subregion !hich are

potential breeding grounds 'or terrorism.

Since its adoption, much o' the UN Strateg implementation !ork has 'ocused on the

United Nations itsel', under the leadership o' the UN Counter-Terrorism mplementation Task

@orce, !hich brings together $< entities across the UN sstem and various speciali2ed

agencies, 'unds, and programs, !ith a vie! to improving the cooperation and coordination

among the di''erent UN entities in the 'ield o' counterterrorism.: The Task @orce has

launched some important initiatives, including the UN Counter-Terrorism Aandbook and

: . The $< di''erent entities represented on the UN Counter-Terrorism mplementation Task

@orce are the Counter-Terrorism Committee+s Counter-Terrorism =(ecutive ?irectorate9 the

?epartment 'or ?isarmament *''airs9 the ?epartment o' )eacekeeping 3perations9 the

?epartment o' )olitical *''airs9 the ?epartment o' )ublic n'ormation9 the ?epartment 'or

Sa'et and Securit9 the =(pert Sta'' o' the 1


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established a series o' thematic !orking groups comprised o' relevant Task @orce members.

t has also succeeded in raising the necessar 'unds 7all 'rom =uropean countries and the US8

to allo! the groups to begin !ork on discrete thematic pro0ects. Dhile this voluntar 'unding

'rom a 'e! developed countries has helped to get the !ork o' the Task @orce o'' the ground,

securing regular UN budget 'unds 'or the Task @orce in the 'uture ma help ensure that all

UN member states retain a sense o' o!nership over the Strateg and the !ork o' the Task

@orce. To 'urther broaden o!nership o' the Strateg and the Task @orce, consideration might

also be given to broadening the notion o' 5contributing6 to the Task @orce to include the in-

kind contributions o' local stakeholders, !hich have valuable e(pertise and kno!ledge to

share.

The Task @orce+s creation is a step 'or!ard to!ard improving coordination and

cooperation across the UN sstem on counterterrorism, !hich has traditionall been lacking.

=ven !ith the adoption o' the Strateg and creation o' the Task @orce, ho!ever, the e(tent to

!hich such cooperation takes place is still largel determined b individual personalities9 and

there remains a tendenc among some entities to rigidl interpret narro! mandates, !hich

limits rather than allo!s 'or cooperation. The e(tent to !hich the Task @orce can serve as the

connective tissue !ithin the UN sstem on counterterrorism 7and reach out to other relevant

actors8 is signi'icantl constrained, ho!ever, b the lack o' an adequatel resourcedsecretariat to help manage its da-to-da !ork, including that o' its various thematic !orking

groups.

*lthough the adoption o' the UN Strateg is a signi'icant political development, its

breadth makes it potentiall 5everthing and nothing6 at the same time. @or it to have a

sustained impact on global counterterrorism e''orts, UN member states must 5utili2e this

Fhistoric tool and translate it into action.6


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states, the relevant parts o' the UN sstem, other multilateral bodies, the private sector, and

civil societ, !ill be needed.

t is there'ore necessar to both promote the necessar a!areness and polic-level

commitment 'rom a !ide range o' stakeholders at all levels 'or implementing the UN

Strateg+s generall broad provisions. Stimulating such a!areness and sustaining the political

momentum generated b its adoption are essential elements 'or ensuring the Strateg+s long-

term relevance. Un'ortunatel, as et, there seems to be a general lack o' a!areness o' the

Strateg among man stakeholders in =ast *'rica 7and beond8, including !ithin those

government agencies !here most national counterterrorism practitioners !ork, i.e., not the

'oreign ministr, and even less among non-traditional counterterrorism actors !hose !ork

relates to Strateg implementation.

The Task @orce, there'ore, needs to emphasi2e outreach to states, regional and sub

regional organi2ations and civil societ and avoid taking an insular, UN-'ocused approach to

its !ork. essons could be dra!n 'rom the UN+s anticorruption activities. @or e(ample, the

UN 3''ice o' ?rugs and Crime 7UN3?C8 helped establish the nternational Group 'or *nti-

Corruption Coordination. This group seeks to coordinate the anticorruption e''orts o' donors,

multilateral anticorruption en'orcement o''icials, and nongovernmental organi2ations 7NG3s8

to help 'acilitate their !ork b avoiding duplication and leveraging e(isting resources and

net!orks. t is some!hat unique in that it includes the active participation o' NG3s and

invests heavil in a!areness raising and outreach, producing a!areness materials, even

celebrating an nternational ?a against Corruption 7H ?ecember8. *s the United Nations

seeks to raise a!areness o' the Strateg, lessons could be dra!n 'rom this model o' outreach

and civil societ engagement. Given the politicall sensitive nature o' counterterrorism in

=ast *'rica, the United Nations should do more through these sorts o' channels and other

'orms o' local interaction to raise a!areness o' and emphasi2e the holistic approach outlined

in the Strateg.

n addition to raising a!areness o' the Strateg, the Task @orce should identi' steps

that relevant stakeholders can take to implement the 'rame!ork b 718 developing or

stimulating countr-speci'ic pro0ects aimed at promoting Strateg implementation, !hich

. @or purposes o' this report 5=ast *'rica6 re'ers to those countries in the region o' the

ntergovernmental *uthorit on ?evelopment. These are ?0ibouti, =ritrea 7although it!ithdre! 'rom G*? in $%%B8, =thiopia, Iena, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.


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donors could then 'und9 7$8 promoting partnerships bet!een the Task @orceJand/or its

component partsJand regional and sub regional bodies and civil societ9 and 7:8 articulating

clearl !hat roles these stakeholders might pla in contributing to implementation, outlining

a division o' labour among the di''erent stakeholders in both the 5hard6 and 5so't6 areas o'

the Strateg. @or its art, the United Nations needs to develop a more integrated UN approach

to Strateg implementation at the countr and sub regional levels to provide a better basis 'or

cooperation bet!een the United Nations and other partners in the sub region. *n intermediate

step, and one o' the goals o' this pro0ect b the Centre, is to identi' !hich UN, regional and

sub regional, and civil societ actors are contributing to implementing di''erent parts o' the

Strateg, !here gaps remain, and !hich stakeholders are best placed to 'ill particular gaps.

ooking ahead to the UN General *ssembl+s 'ormal revie! o' the Strateg in

September $%%#, one o' the concrete outcomes should be clear and practical suggestions as to

!hat speci'ic tasks regional and sub regional bodies and civil societ can per'orm in

'urthering Strateg implementation !ith a clear division o' labour bet!een stakeholders and

!ith priorities and timelines 'or action. This could be complemented b a stocktaking o'

relevant bodies in each region and sub region, their respective mandates and capacities, and

!hat Strateg-related programs the have undertaken or are currentl undertaking.

This process, ho!ever, should not be a top-do!n e(ercise. =ast *'rican countries,

relevant regional and sub regional bodies, and other stakeholders need to in'orm the process,

proactivel articulate their needs and priorities to the Task @orce, and ensure that the

discussions in Ne! >ork are grounded in and responsive to the on-the-ground realities, needs,

and priorities o' the sub region.

UN and Global Counter Terrorism Strategy

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