As a follow-up to the first in a series of regionally focused dialogues, the Counter-Terrorism Committee on 14 and 15 July held two additional informal briefings on the foreign terrorist fighter (FTF) phenomenon and the implementation of Security Council resolution 2178 (2014).
The briefings were attended respectively by Member States of the Sahel/West Africa and Maghreb regions and the South and South-East Asia regions that are most affected by the FTF phenomenon.
“We must continue to adapt and readjust our strategies, align our efforts, and mobilize our resources”, said the Chair of the Committee, H.E. Mr. Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations.
CTED experts briefed Member States on the third report (S/2015/975) on Member States’ implementation of resolution 2178 (2014), as well as on the Guiding Principles on FTFs adopted at a special meeting of the Committee held in Madrid in July last year (S/2015/939).
CTED provided Member States with recommendations on implementing reintegration, rehabilitation, and prosecution strategies, as well as on tackling terrorism financing and strengthening security measures. CTED stressed the importance of engaging local communities and civil society, utilizing a rule-of-law based and human rights-compliant approach.
The participating States described challenges encountered in combating the FTF threat and stressed the need for enhanced coordination and cooperation in the sharing of information and good practices. There was a need for States to develop comprehensive frameworks for stemming the flow of FTFs and addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the Council.
It is estimated that there are currently at least 30,000 FTFs, from more than 100 countries.
Security Council resolution 2178 (2014) requires Member States to take effective measures to counter the FTF threat, including through enhanced international cooperation and capacity-building.