“The challenges and impact of the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters are global, not local or regional. There is a unique role for the United Nations to play in combating this threat, together with regional bodies, such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM),” Mr. Weixiong Chen, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), told participating parliamentarians at the 1st Standing Committee on Political and Security-Related Cooperation of the 9th Plenary Session of PAM, held in Monaco on 2 February 2015.
Last September, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2178 (2014), which focuses on the threat stemming from foreign terrorist fighters (FTF) and on countering violent extremism. However, many States do not yet have adequate legislation in this area; legislators of PAM countries have pledged to address this issue.
“States must combat and prevent terrorism through an integrated, comprehensive, and holistic approach that will promote active engagement with all sectors of society, including parliamentarians, faith-based leaders, youth, women, and victims of terrorism,” stressed Mr. Chen.
A regional interstate organization, PAM is an observer to the General Assembly of the United Nations. One of its goals is to guarantee regional security, stability, and promoting peace. The conference in Monaco adopted a resolution encouraging parliamentarians to support the efforts of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC)/CTED in their work against terrorism, and called on lawmakers to implement to the fullest the provisions of Security Council resolution 2178 (2014).