Mr. Chairman, Excellencies,
I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for organizing this timely meeting on the global counter-terrorism strategy. I would also like to commend the Secretary-General and his team for the important efforts they have made to move the implementation forward. The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) has made important progress in the year since the strategy was adopted, and Sweden supports all aspects of its work.
We associate ourselves with the European Union statement, but wanted to speak under the cluster on human rights and the rule of law since these are areas where Sweden currently has a number of activities underway. Protection of human rights and the promotion of rule of law are integral parts of all aspects of the fight against terrorism, both long term and short term.
Let me briefly highlight a few areas where Sweden is currently active:
In its approach to development cooperation, Sweden puts great emphasis on good governance, the rule of law, and promotion of human rights. As a result, an increasing number of projects are in areas where development, security, and human rights intersect. As part of our development policy, we are now studying how these efforts can address also conditions conducive to terrorism. This includes, among other things, support for dialogue and institution-building.
Capacity-building is a related area. Sweden is the largest contributor to the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch, which is facilitating the implementation of the UN strategy in the area of legal capacity building. We also provide support to regional and local initiatives, such as IGAD’s anti-terrorism capacity-building project in East Africa and the Jakarta Center for Law Enforcement Cooperation.
Sanctions are important tools in the prevention of terrorism. In order for this tool to be effective, the sanction regimes must be credible and legitimate. Sweden, together with other Member States, have made efforts to create fair and clear procedures of the Security Council sanctions regimes. The latest example is a seminar hosted recently by Denmark, Liechtenstein, Sweden, and Switzerland on the idea of having a review panel for delisting requests within the Security Council. We are encouraged by the positive reactions by many Member States to this initiative, and intend to take further steps in the near future.
Furthermore, we should make use of the UN’s human rights instruments, including the Human Rights Council. Among other things, we will engage with the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of Human Rights While Countering Terrorism in order to enhance implementation of the global strategy in this area.
On a national level, we have undertaken measures to implement all relevant conventions and Security Council resolutions. As an example of concrete implementation measures, the Swedish National Police Board is at present reviewing how human rights training is incorporated into police education. This is one area where we see opportunities for co-operation and sharing of best practices with other states.
Sweden is prepared to work with the Secretary-General’s Task Force to move the strategy forward. As a first step, we have made available a grant to enable the Task Force to carry out its work in the field of human rights.
We are also interested in working with other Member States, and would welcome the opportunity to share experiences and develop concrete activities together. The many statements made here today demonstrate the commitment by Member states to the implementation of the strategy. Sweden looks forward to being an active partner in this process.
Thank you.