Security Council Open Debate: “Threats to international peace and security: linkage between international terrorism and organised crime”

Speech | 09-07-2019

Introduction

Mr President,

Thank you for organizing today’s open debate and thanks to the briefers for their contributions.

The Netherlands aligns itself fully with the statement of the European Union.

In my national capacity I would like to highlight three issues:

1. Research and information sharing
2. Local engagement
3. International cooperation

Research and information sharing

Mr President,

The need for more research on the nexus between terrorism and organized crime has already been highlighted.

Whether it is about the environments where terrorists and criminals meet, their recruitment strategies or the link with human trafficking: we simply do not know enough yet.

But we should not only do more research.

We should also do better research through enhanced information sharing.

This requires identifying the right stakeholders from government, civil society and academia to facilitate their interaction.

It requires developing legislation to stimulate interagency and public-private information sharing in line with human rights obligations.

And it requires training of officials to use new sources of data and new methods of data collection and analysis.

The Security Council can encourage Member States to engage in such actions to enhance our understanding.

Because only by understanding the nexus better can we address it better.

Local engagement

Mr President,

This brings me to my second point: local engagement.

It is clear that THE nexus does not exist.

In different regions and countries the relationship between terrorists and criminals takes different shapes.

However, it is at the local level where the nexus manifests itself most clearly.

And where actions to address the nexus have most direct effect.

Building trust between national and local actors strengthens dialogue and cooperation.

Such dialogue and cooperation help governments address drivers of terrorism and organized crime at the local level, like unemployment and lack of access to basic services.

The UN continues to play a key role to assist Member States, especially those with limited resources, in capacity building at the local level to tackle the nexus.

International cooperation

Mr President,

Then, on my third point: international cooperation.

In 2018, the Kingdom of the Netherlands presented in the Global Counterterrorism Forum, or GCTF, a set of good practices on the nexus between terrorism and organised crime.

In March of this year, we launched a policy toolkit to operationalize these good practices.

Both the good practices and toolkit were developed in close cooperation with UNICRI and are publicly available on the website of the GCTF.

International cooperation between the UN and organisations like the GCTF is crucial for the UN and its Member States to stay ahead of the curve of international terrorism and organised crime.

The UN cannot and should not go at it alone.

Conclusion

Mr President,

‘Sometimes people with the worst pasts, create the best futures’.

With this slogan ISIS recruited criminals for its Caliphate.

The Caliphate may have fallen, but our debate today shows that the nexus between terrorism and organised crime is more alive than ever.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands remains committed to support the UN and its Member States to counter the scourge of terrorism and organised crime.

To overcome worst pasts and create a truly best future for all.

Thank you.