Nordic Statement at the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the CTC
JOINT NORDIC STATEMENT
by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden for the
Special Meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) and the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Committee on 4 November 2021.
I have the honour of addressing the Counter-Terrorism Committee today on behalf of the five Nordic countries: Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and my own country, Denmark.
On the 20th anniversary of the Security Council’s adoption of resolution 1373, and despite of many actions taken to combat terrorism, we are painfully aware that terrorism is still a grave global threat and threat to our societies. Acts of terrorism cause trauma for individuals, families and communities. The social, humanitarian and legal implications of terrorism undermine global progress, development, and accountability. The Nordic countries, too, have experienced the horrors of terrorism first hand. Every attack on our societies and way of life reminds us that we must continue pursuing the objectives set out in resolution 1373 despite the many other challenges facing the global community in 2021.
The adoption of Security Council resolution 1373, and setting up the Counter-Terrorism Committee, CTC, and its Executive Directorate, CTED, have had a profound impact on national approaches to fighting terrorism. The resolution condemned ideologies of intolerance and violence of terrorists and extremists of all forms, and paved the way for Member States’ legal frameworks on terrorism and violent extremism. The CTC and the CTED have helped ensure – also through the country visits – the effective implementation of the agreed policy decisions on counterterrorism measures across the UN membership.
The threat from terrorism and violent extremism has changed since 2001. However, it is still present. Groups like Al-Qaeda and Da’esh are particularly effective at spreading their ideologies, both online and offline, through their affiliates in the worlds’ poorest and most unstable regions. We must pay close attention to these dynamics as the pandemic is causing economic hardship, fuelling distrust in governments, restricting access to education and exacerbating global inequality. Additionally, the threat from right-wing violent extremists is on the rise. All of these factors may contribute to an increased threat from terrorism and violent extremism in the coming years, and should therefore be addressed by the international community.
The Nordic countries view the United Nations as a vital institution in the fight against international terrorism and violent extremism. The Security Council has repeatedly underscored that all counter-terrorism measures taken by Member States must comply with their obligations under international law. The past 20 years of counter-terrorism efforts have highlighted that balancing security and freedom can be difficult, but we must make sure that human rights are fully respected and international law observed when we fight terrorism and violent extremism. Failing to do so is detrimental to the legitimacy of governments and global institutions and will in itself undermine the fight against terrorism. The Nordic Countries firmly believe that legitimacy is a prerequisite for fighting terrorism effectively. Therefore, counter-terrorism laws must not be abused.
While the problem of terrorism and violent extremism is global, many of the solutions are found at the local level. The Nordic Countries encourage all Member States to address these issues through a whole-of-society approach that also includes women and youths. We must not turn a deaf ear to the grievances of youths and marginalised groups in society. Civil society actors – community leaders in particular – are often the first line of defence against radicalisation. Empowering these actors is vital in countering radicalisation that may lead to terrorism. The Nordic Countries appreciate the efforts of the Strong Cities Network, Nordic Safe Cities, the Global Community Engagement & Resilience Fund and other such platforms at the local level.
Finally, while celebrating the 20th anniversary of the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) as well as of the establishment of the CTC and CTED, the Nordic Countries would also like applaud the recent review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. While we are pleased with the overall results of the review, the Nordic Countries would have liked to see a number of issues being addressed more resolutely. In our view, the review should have had stronger language on human rights and gender. The Nordic Countries will continue to work on improving the international mechanisms for fighting terrorism and violent extremism by promoting effective and sustainable solutions, and with a strong emphasis on respect for international law and in particular human rights law.