Office structure

Through resolution 71/291, the General Assembly established the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism in accordance with the five functions set out in the report of the Secretary-General (A/71/858), namely:

• To provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates entrusted to the Secretary-General from across the United Nations system;
• To enhance coordination and coherence across the 38 Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force [Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact] entities to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy;
• To strengthen the delivery of United Nations counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance to Member States;
• To improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts; and
• To ensure that due priority is given to counter-terrorism across the United Nations system and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the Strategy.

The governance framework of UNOCT includes the Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism (USG UNOCT) as head of Office, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the Senior Management Team (SMT), and the Programme Review Board (PRB).

• The Under-Secretary-General directs and oversees the implementation of all the activities of UNOCT; ensures policy leadership and coordination within the United Nations system in the area of counter-terrorism; engages in high-level consultations with Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, international and regional organizations and civil society groups; and represents the Secretary-General in meetings related to the mandate and functions of UNOCT and in intergovernmental organs and expert bodies as required. USG UNOCT concurrently serves as the Executive Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) and as Chairperson of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact.
• The Senior Leadership Team and Senior Management Team of UNOCT, chaired by the USG UNOCT, are strategic management bodies that support the executive decision-making process through the provision of consultative guidance, critical insights, and informed advice to USG UNOCT.
• The Senior Leadership Team is responsible to assist the USG in making decisions on issues of strategic consequence or of a sensitive nature, requiring principal-level attention and advice. Membership in the Senior Leadership Team is limited to principal-level staff with a composition that reflects an integrated representation of all branches and divisions of the Office.
• The Senior Management Team is responsible to exchange views and updates among senior management on the Office’s ongoing and proposed activities and related management issues to form a common operating picture; enhance cooperation and reduce duplication, propose options, different positions, and solutions on a range of issues; receive guidance and feedback from USG UNOCT. Membership in the Senior Management Team includes UNOCT staff members at the P-5 and above levels including Acting Chiefs and designated Officers-in-Charge.
• The Programme Review Board of the UNOCT is the primary internal control and governance mechanism for all capacity-building and technical assistance activities of the Office. The Board is responsible for exercising senior strategic guidance and oversight to ensure the effective and efficient release and management of extrabudgetary funding provided to UNOCT in fulfilment of its mandate, through its review of all programme and project submissions financed in part or whole by UNOCT extrabudgetary funding, and the review of the annual UNOCT cost plan, for the consideration and approval of the Under-Secretary-General.

Please refer to UN General Assembly A/81/6 (Sect. 3) for the approved UNOCT Organizational Structure