HSPI Hosts an Ambassadors Roundtable Series discussion on:
“Moving Forward: An Appraisal of United Nations Counterterrorism Efforts”

Event Resource website

As part of the Ambassadors Roundtable Series on International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Insurgencies, the Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) hosted Ambassador Mike Smith, Assistant Secretary-General, Executive Director, Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate, United Nations; and Mr. Richard Barrett, Coordinator, Monitoring Team, Committee on Al-Qa’ida and Taliban Sanctions, United Nations, on November 7th, 2008.

Speaking first, Ambassador Smith noted three characteristics of Al-Qa’ida (AQ) and associated groups that demand the United Nations have a role in thwarting them: the global scope, ambition and impact of AQ and followers; the international character of the planning and execution of many of their operations; and the need for policymakers to respond through means that stretch across various agencies, departments and regions of the world.

Smith noted that the UN has been involved in counterterrorism for over thirty years with the adoption of sixteen treaties and resolutions that span various UN bodies and committees. He also outlined the shift within the UN on counter-terrorism matters, as the General Assembly previously considered counterterrorism issues its purview. More recently however, the Security Council had led much of the body’s work in this arena. Ambassador Smith noted that with a much smaller membership, the Security Council is able to act much quicker and more decisively than the larger General Assembly.

In outlining the UN’s value-added in the area of counterterrorism, Smith emphasized the global reach of the UN – its ability to establish a global norm, have a dialogue with all countries, act as a convening power, and facilitate the provision of technical assistance to member states to combat terrorist activity and act in compliance with UN resolutions. While acknowledging the paltry budget for the UN Secretariat’s counter-terrorism’s work, Ambassador Smith noted one distinct advantage the organization has in comparison to national governments: the perceived influence and neutrality of the UN, along with its ability to work with regional organizations that can provide “expertise and gravitas.”

Mr. Barrett focused on the need – more than seven years after the September 11, 2001 attacks – for new leadership and energy within the UN system to more effectively counter Al-Qa’ida and its allies, and ensure that radicals and extremists do not turn to terrorism. He is surprised that while in many ways that the impact of the September 11 attacks has stretched longer than anticipated, the international community has “begun to lose that sense of direction” on what its counterterrorism goals are, and how to achieve them. As a result, he noted that we now “have a marvelous opportunity for a recalibration of these threats to look fundamentally as to what is to be done” to counter them.

Mr. Barrett highlighted milestone achievements such as the unanimous adoption in September 2006 of the UN’s Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, which brought together all constituent efforts of the UN to deal with terrorism. Over time, working groups have emerged to help implement the Strategy; these include a victims of terrorism group, and a group focused on terrorism and the internet. Regarding the UN’s AQ/Taliban sanctions regime, Barrett indicated that it pre-dated 9/11 but was not used seriously until afterwards. He identified gaps and challenges associated with earlier versions of this sanctions system, such as procedures for getting on or off the list, and legal problems related to enforcement, but pointed out that UN Security Council Resolution 1822, adopted in June 2008, tried to patch the gaps at issue.

Mr. Barrett remarked that beyond operations targeting specific terrorists, the international community must do a better job or understanding how and why individuals gravitate toward terrorism. He also stressed the need for pinning down terrorist supporters and financiers, as well as the need to counter terrorist ideology. Additionally, Mr. Barrett suggested the global Muslim community must stress that terrorism is not justified by any religion, let alone Islam. In creating strategies to tackle the ideology of terrorism, he urged a campaign in order to “reduce that cool factor” of terrorists and their operations.

During the question and answer session, former Department of Homeland Security inspector general Clark Ervin suggested that one problem with UN involvement in counterterrorism is a lack of international consensus on the definition of terrorism. Ambassador Smith indicated that the differences in defining the term are smaller than perceived. The various UN resolutions and agreements allow Member States the flexibility to define terrorism as they see fit, thereby allowing the problem to be localized and more effectively countered.

Ambassador Smith observed that the next U.S. Administration affords “an opportunity for renewal”; the world has changed since 2001, and a different mindset as well as a change in rhetoric is required. Mr. Barrett concurred, suggesting in the U.S. a “great feeling of refreshment” with the upcoming administration change. HSPI director Frank Cilluffo agreed, noting that this is not only a time to “reinvigorate, reframe, and re-energize” international cooperation in the counterterrorism arena, but also to promote initiatives to “unpack” Al-Qa’ida’s narrative to expose its “bankrupt” ideology in order to foster its demise.

The Ambassador Roundtable Series is designed to provide Ambassadors to the United States and their key diplomatic staff with a forum to discuss current and future counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts on a regional or country-specific basis. In an effort to draw upon various insights and experiences, the Ambassadors Roundtable Series builds upon and institutionalizes efforts over the past two years to engage in a dialogue with members of the international community, policy makers, and practitioners.