Acting on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) conducted a three-day follow-up assessment visit to the Republic of Serbia from 27 to 29 March 2018.
The goals of the visit were to follow-up on Serbia’s implementation of the recommendations made by the Committee following its visit of March 2013 and to discuss Serbia’s progress in implementing Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005); Council resolution 2178 (2014), on stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs); and other recent Council resolutions pertaining to counter-terrorism.
The delegation met with a wide range of Government officials to discuss legislation and judicial practice, counter-financing of terrorism, law enforcement, border control, international cooperation, countering violent extremism that leads to terrorism, the roles of women in countering terrorism and violent extremism, the need for rule-of-law-based responses to terrorism, and countering terrorism while complying with international human rights obligations.
Welcoming the delegation, H.E. Mr. Zoran Lazarov, Assistant Minister of the Interior and Head of the Sector for International Cooperation, European Affairs, and Planning, noted that the visit was a further demonstration of the close cooperation between Serbia, the Committee, and CTED, and reaffirmed Serbia’s determination to continue its constructive dialogue with the Committee and its Executive Directorate.
Mr. Ahmed Seif El Dawla, CTED Chief of Section and Head of Delegation, welcomed the counter-terrorism measures introduced by Serbia since the Committee’s 2013 visit, including its adoption of numerous laws aimed at implementing the relevant international standards.
The delegation also welcomed Serbia’s adoption of the National Strategy for the Prevention and Countering of Terrorism 2017-2021 and its Action Plan, and discussed with the Government ways to further strengthen Serbia’s national framework for countering terrorism, as well as measures taken by Serbia to coordinate its domestic and international efforts in those areas.
The delegation included representatives of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Southeast Europe Law Enforcement Center (SELEC), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women).