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Delivered by: Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Deputy Permanent Representative

Mr. President,

I’d like to begin by thanking Ambassador Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, and Ambassador Trine Heimerback for enhancing the transparency of the work of their respective Committees through this briefing of the Security Council.

The United Arab Emirates commends the three Chairs for their commendable work in supporting the Security Council’s mandate of addressing threats to international peace and security, including terrorism.

Let me also express our sincere gratitude to India, the current Chair of the 1373 Counter-Terrorism Committee, for ensuring the Committee’s engagement on a wide range of regional and thematic issues, including evolving threats.

Last month, the Government of India hosted the CTC for a Special Meeting, focused on the urgent challenges posed by new and emerging technology falling into the hands of terrorists, and the new possibilities to combat terrorism offered by technological innovation. As a result, the CTC adopted the “Delhi Declaration”, which is a crucial contribution to our collective response to the threats discussed during the Special Meeting, including terrorist deployment of unmanned aerial systems.

As the incoming Chair of the CTC, the UAE will build on these vital efforts. We are committed to working constructively with all Committee Members to ensure the implementation of the Delhi Declaration and to assist Member States in preventing and countering the terrorist use of new and emerging technologies.

Mr. President,

By ensuring the full implementation of sanctions measures, the 1267/1989/2253 Da’esh and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee works actively and diligently to assist Member States in preventing and countering terrorist acts.

However, that effort must be complemented by a strengthened focus on confronting the root causes of terrorism and extremism to ensure the enduring eradication of the threat. This necessarily includes addressing development deficits and weak governance that fuel grievance and marginalization.  

The international community must also avoid inadvertently lending credibility to terrorist narratives which exploit religion to justify their heinous crimes. For example, the UAE has vocally urged Member States and the UN system to use “Da’esh” instead of “Islamic State”, “ISIL”, or “ISIS”, as there is nothing Islamic about terrorism. We should also remember that Da’esh is nothing more than a depraved and nihilistic terrorist group. It is neither a “state” nor a “province”, and we should not validate its pretensions.

As the Security Council considers the mandate renewal of the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts due next week, the UAE reaffirms the crucial role the regime plays in the global non-proliferation architecture. The latest Comprehensive Review of the implementation of Resolution 1540 demonstrates that Member States remain committed to the resolution’s goals, which is evident in the significant progress in its implementation. We commend this progress, but we also recognize that the full and effective implementation of Resolution 1540 remains a long-term task.

In the forthcoming renewal, the 1540 Committee should be mandated to enhance its engagement with Member States and provide further assistance with implementation of Resolution 1540. Given the evolving nature of the threats posed by non-state actors, including terrorists, the future mandate should also include a provision for an inclusive review process on the resolution’s implementation status.

The 1540 Committee should continue to work closely with the Da’esh and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee and the CTC, particularly due to the risk of terrorists exploiting weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. While they each have different mandates, the work of the committees should be complimentary and central to the Council’s overall objective to counter and eliminate terrorism.

Thank you, Mr. President.