Thank you, Mr. President,
Sanctions are the Charter's most powerful non-military instrument to promote respect for international law among individuals or entities, such as parties to a conflict. They are therefore invaluable but must always be used with care and respect the rule of law.
This is why Switzerland - together with its partners of the Group of Like-Minded States on UN Targeted Sanctions - has been seeking for nearly twenty years, within and outside the Council, to improve listing and delisting procedures. The Office of the Ombudsman for the 1267 sanctions regime is a success, as it offers the necessary procedural guarantees and thus strengthens the effectiveness of sanctions. We consider this independent review mechanism the ideal model. However, the strengthening of the Focal Point that we have unanimously achieved today is a great step in the right direction.
We therefore sincerely thank the United States and Malta for their efforts in facilitating this resolution and acknowledge the commitment of all the members of this Council. Switzerland voted in favor of the resolution and engaged actively bilaterally with some Member States as well as in the negotiations to foster progress.
Switzerland is pleased that a number of ideas are reflected in the resolution, notably that the Focal Point should collect information, enter into dialogue with the petitioner, and submit a comprehensive report to the committee. We regret, however, that the Committee will not have to decide by default on every de-listing request. However, the current solution, whereby a State must undertake the procedural step of recommending that a delisting request proceeds, may be a viable one, albeit this will have to be proven in practice.
The establishment of an informal Working Group to discuss cross-cutting issues will help to enhance the effectiveness of sanctions and their implementation. In this respect, we welcome that humanitarian exemptions are an integral part of the mandate, and that the Working Group can be informed by civil society and the private sector. While it is regrettable that the issue of fair and clear procedures is not explicitly mentioned in the mandate, we understand that it can be addressed if a State so requests.
Switzerland will continue to engage with the members of this Council and the Like-Minded Group on targeted sanctions to implement the resolution and seek future improvements to safeguard the rule of law in UN sanctions.
Thank you.