Joint special meeting on terrorist financing assesses risks and identifies way forward

A growing number of United Nations Member States are assessing specific terrorist financing risks and the vulnerability of their financial and economic sectors to terrorist financing. Also Member States that are not at high risk in terms of terrorism more broadly may still present a risk regarding the financing of terrorism. While terrorist entities and individuals are still relying on traditional forms of terrorist financing such as cash or money remitters, these groups are also utilizing the Internet and other forms of information and communication technologies to access, raise, and move funds.

These were some of the key themes raised in a joint special meeting of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, together with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), organized at the United Nations on 12 and 13 December 2016. Several tools already exist to counter terrorist financing, such as asset freezing requirements or information sharing mechanisms. The main challenge consists of implementing these tools effectively. The joint special meeting – held under the mandate of Security Council resolution 2253 (2015) on efforts to suppress terrorist financing, which expanded the sanctions framework to include ISIL (Da’esh) – provided an important forum for Member States and other actors to share practices and lessons learned that can guide the way forward in this area.

Documents

Draft concept note and agenda

Logistical note

Statements

Message by the Secretary-General to Joint special meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), on “Depriving terrorist groups from accessing, raising, and moving funds: Practices and lessons learned” (New York, 12 December 2016)

Closing remarks by Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to Joint special meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), on “Depriving terrorist groups from accessing, raising, and moving funds: Practices and lessons learned” (New York, 13 December 2016)

Opening remarks by Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to Joint special meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), on “Depriving terrorist groups from accessing, raising, and moving funds: Practices and lessons learned” (New York, 12 December 2016)

Statement by FATF President Juan Manuel Vega-Serrano, 12 December 2016 — Download here

Statement by Dmitry V. Feoktistov, Deputy Director of the Department on New Challenges and Threats of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Media

Press release

Joint special meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF): Depriving terrorist groups from accessing, raising, and moving funds: Practices and lessons learned (13 December 2016: Sessions V and VI)