DANISH PRESENTATION ON BUILDING STATES'

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001429 SIPDIS SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO IO/PSC:BFITZGERALD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC SUBJECT: DANISH PRESENTATION ON BUILDING STATES' COUNTER-TERRORISM CAPACITY REF: WILCOX/FITZGERALD EMAIL 7/18/06 ¶1. Summary: At a July 19 meeting hosted by the Danish Mission to the UN, COWI A/S, an international consulting firm, and the Fourth Freedom Forum, a U.S. non-governmental organization, presented a working paper proposing strategies for counterterrorism capacity building and implementation of UNSCR 1373 (2001) in poorer nations. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioned the working paper, which USUN has emailed separately to IO/PSC (ref). The paper outlines a strategy for integrating developing assistance, particularly related to good governance and security sector reform, and the promotion of implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) in developing countries. Participants included France, China, Argentina, Peru, New Zealand, and Canada, as well as representatives of the Counter-Terrorism Committee's Executive Directorate (CTED),the United Nations Development Program (UNDP),and a staff member of the Center on Global Counter-Terrorism Cooperation, an offshoot of the Fourth Freedom Forum. End Summary. ¶2. In order to assist poor countries most effectively in implementing UNSCR 1373 (drafted in the wake of 9/11 and obligating states to take measures against terrorism),the working paper proposes that donors integrate development assistance with counterterrorism assistance. The working paper stresses that good governance, including the promotion of democracy, checks-and-balances, transparent and accountable management, and the rule of law, along with security sector reform, which includes strengthening police, judiciary, and the military, are the two main aspects of capacity development. The paper argues that donors must consider both aspects together in developing assistance programs. ¶3. The working paper also proposes a new methodology for assessing states' counterterrorism capacity needs, building upon and modifying CTED's current approach to identifying needs when it visits states. According to a CTC-approved framework for CTED's state visits, CTED examines the status of anti-terror legislation, measures against assets used for criminal purposes (i.e., money-laundering),law enforcement effectiveness, international cooperation, and territorial/border control. The working paper argues that the Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its CTED should analyze capacity by examining the broad areas of financial assets controls, effectiveness of law enforcement services, and territorial control. Within each of these areas, analysis should focus on the subcategories of the status of counterterrorism legislation, the level of national consensus and dialogue, transparency and accountability, human rights compliance, actual capacity, international cooperation, and coordination of counterterrorism efforts via linkages to other programs and sectors. The CTC can use the information developed from applying the assessment methodology to create an individualized strategy for assistance. ¶4. COWI A/S and the Fourth Freedom Forum have tested their new methodology through fieldwork in Kenya and Bangladesh. (Note: CTED visited Kenya in May 2005 and is planning to visit Bangladesh this fall. End Note.) In both countries, the two organizations met with all relevant stakeholders, including government officials and representatives of civil society. Corruption and impunity are the key obstacles to successful implementation of UNSCR 1373 in Kenya, they argued, because citizens' confidence in the justice/security sector is lower than confidence in other governmental institutions. Sovereignty concerns present another issue. Developing states like Kenya or Bangladesh often perceived terrorism as a problem facing developed states and believe countering terrorism is the responsibility of developed states. The presenters argued that the UN and donors need to address the problem of "perceived bullying" and show that countering terrorism can benefit developing countries' populations by enhancing tourism, improving natural resources management, and other sectors of the economy. ¶5. To illustrate how development assistance and security assistance can be coordinated, the presenters cited a two-year capacity-building program the UNDP is implementing in Kenya. It aims at improving legislation, strengthening capacity while remaining respectful of civil liberties and human rights, enhancing dialogue and national consensus, and bolstering religious tolerance and respect for cultural diversity. To accomplish this, UNDP's plan calls for assistance in legislative finalization, training workshops for judiciary and security sectors, assistance to the Financial Investigation Unit, and production and dissemination of information. ¶6. During the discussion following the presentation, some participants expressed skepticism, arguing that attempting to merge development assistance with counterterrorism assistance could undermine development priorities. One participant noted that the Millenium Development Goals do not address counterterrorism and doubted whether states or even the UN would deviate from those goals in an effort to enhance their counterterrorism capacities. Several representatives of donor states said it would be difficult to adopt a coordinated approach because of restrictions on appropriations for development assistance. ¶7. In response to a question, the presenters clarified that they were not suggesting that states that do not follow good government policies should not receive counterterrorism assistance. In contrast, they said donors should make such states an assistance priority. ¶8. Several participants agreed the UN has a key role in counterterrorism and development assistance. One participant said the working paper's approach would be more effective if the UN adopts systematic efforts to streamline counterterrorism goals into development strategies. If the UN sets the agenda, donor states will follow the UN's lead, but without leadership from the UN all efforts will remain ad hoc and thus less effective. The Danes said the CTC should define its role in facilitating technical assistance and work harder and more creatively to approach donors who might be able to meet countries' needs. ¶9. Comment: The Danish Mission's presentation dovetailed well with USUN's call for the UN to coordinate development assistance and counterterrorism assistance more effectively and for CTED to enhance its outreach to UNDP to find ways UNDP can promote states' implementation of resolution 1373. As the skepticism of many participants showed, however, the idea of coordinating development and counterterrorism assistance remains controversial. Positive examples of such coordination could help alter the debate. End Comment. BOLTON