Mr President,
I would like to thank the Committee Chairs for their presentations and for their good work in steering our work over the past year. These presentations demonstrate not only the complexity of the challenges we face, but also the interdependence of our efforts to respond effectively.
Allow me to make a few remarks about the work of each committee.
The targeted sanctions of the 1267 Committee are an important tool of the Council to contain the capabilities of terrorist groups. However, their effectiveness depends on the transparency and fairness of our processes. Thanks to the Office of the Ombudsperson, the 1267 regime provides fair and clear procedures, making it possible to guarantee the rule of law and human rights in the implementation of sanctions. In addition, the humanitarian carve-out created by Resolution 2664 is an essential step towards facilitating the rapid distribution of humanitarian aid and meeting the basic needs of the population. First observations corroborate its relevance in the context of this sanctions regime. Continuity, effective implementation in national legislation and additional efforts, such as awareness-raising, are needed to promote its understanding by the actors concerned. This Committee also plays an important role in establishing a factual basis concerning global terrorist threats. In this respect, I would also like to thank the Monitoring Team for its valuable work.
With regard to the 1373 Committee - the Counter-Terrorism Committee - we would also like to thank the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate for its work. The CTC's country assessments are crucial to strengthening Member States' capacity to prevent and combat terrorism effectively and in compliance with international law. The contribution of civil society is essential in this context, and we welcome the efforts made to ensure that their voice is heard in the country assessments and in the work of the Committee. This collaboration is all the more important because efforts to combat terrorism can have negative effects on civic space. We must be attentive to the needs of those we seek to protect, remain in constant dialogue and thus ensure that none of the measures we take serve as a pretext for human rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law. This is why Switzerland has called for inclusive work and a gender-sensitive approach, particularly on the link between terrorism and sexual and gender-based violence. This perspective is essential for the development of targeted and effective responses.
The 1540 Committee continues to be an essential part of the non-proliferation architecture. While it is positive that the Committee was able to agree on a work programme at the beginning of the year, we note that the substantial work diligently prepared and submitted by the Chair has been blocked. The Committee has a duty to help minimise the risks of proliferation to non-state actors. The Committee's intention to clarify and strengthen the assistance mechanism, in particular as regards the assistance provided by the Expert Group, seems to us to be relevant in this respect. In order for the Committee to fully provide this assistance to States, it must be able to rely on a fully staffed and functional Group of Experts. We ask that the Committee agree without further delay on the appointment of the six proposed experts and thank the Presidency for its efforts to this end.
In short, this briefing is a testament to our collective commitment to the fight against terrorism and the prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. These challenges require a coordinated response, based on the understanding that global security is inseparable from the protection of human rights and respect for international law.
Thank you.