Mr. Raff Bukun-Olu Onemola
Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations
New York, NY
16th May, 2011
As Delivered
I, too, wish to thank the Permanent Representatives of South Africa, India and Germany for their briefings on the activities of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004).
Nigeria appreciates the important role played by the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts in strengthening the global non-proliferation regime. In that regard, we commend Member States for their increased awareness of their obligations under that resolution. The increase in reports and the intensified efforts to promote cooperation between States and other stakeholders, as well as the adoption of resolution 1977 (2011) last month, further strengthen our collective resolve to achieve global security. More outreach activities, through regular workshops and consultations at the country and regional levels, will help to underpin those improvements. They will also help to address two critical challenges, namely, the limited implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), in particular by developing countries, and the lack of relevant legislative, regulatory and administrative structures to support implementation efforts.
Nigeria attaches great importance to the clearing house role of the Committee and expects that the revised assistance procedures will facilitate the prompt matching of offers and requests for assistance by States. By finding potential donors to support assistance requests, the Committee will help more States to benefit from relevant technical assistance and support.
Over the years, resolution 1373 (2001) has remained an indispensable tool in our collective efforts to curb the activities of terrorist groups. Resolution 1963 (2010), adopted last year, increases the focus on the robustness of our engagement on this issue.
Nigeria is satisfied with the role that the Counter Terrorism Committee, established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), has played in guiding our efforts towards the full implementation of both resolutions. We welcome the Committee’s adoption of a plan of action for the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005). In implementing this resolution, due cognizance should be taken of a country’s and region’s specific experiences and challenges. There is no doubt that the 1373 Committee’s work will also benefit from outreach activities and sustained dialogue with States. Both activities will help affected States to develop relevant legislative, regulatory and administrative structures to support the implementation of all the resolutions.
Nigeria notes with satisfaction the depth of the cooperation that exists among the 1373 Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and international, regional and sub-regional organizations. In this regard, we commend the Committee on the success of its special meeting in Strasbourg, France last month. We also note with satisfaction CTED’s ongoing cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States on counter-terrorism initiatives in that sub-region. I hope that this cooperation will yield some concrete outcomes during the coming year.
Nigeria welcomes the changes to improve the programme of work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, including the regular updating of the Committee’s website and implementation of recommendations of the last review process. The improved activities and reports submitted to the Committee are an indication of the remarkable and exhaustive work and the unequalled support of the Monitoring Team.
We commend Ms. Kimberly Prost, the Ombudsperson, for her valuable work and contribution to us in improving the procedures of the sanctions regime. We welcome the recent review of deceased persons, pursuant to paragraph 26 of resolution 1904 (2009), to keep the Consolidated List updated and relevant.
The determination of de-listing requests for three names submitted through the Ombudsperson is a good example of the application of the reform in a fair and credible manner. These positive efforts should be further strengthened through the continuous improvement of the sanctions regime and by keeping the Consolidated Lists as accurate as possible. The need to ensure consistency with international standards of due process, international law and respect for human rights must be overriding in the Committee’s work. It is therefore necessary to start considering further measures to strengthen resolution 1904 (2009).
Active engagement and cooperation between the three Security Council Committees remain imperative for strengthening the implementation of their respective mandates. In closing, we wish to commend Ambassadors Peter Wittig, Hardeep Singh Puri and Baso Sangqu for their dynamic leadership and sterling contributions to the work of their respective Committees. We assure them of Nigeria’s continued support in the discharge of their daunting responsibilities.