UNSC Adopts Resolution on Counter Terrorism
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 29 December 2020 approved Resolution 2560 on the improvement of the 1267 Sanctions Committee’s working method which was initiated by Indonesia and the United States.
The 1267 Sanctions Committee is a subsidiary body of the UNSC responsible for establishing and overseeing the implementation of sanctions against individuals and entities affiliated with the ISIL / Da’esh and Al-Qaeda groups.
“Through the adoption of this Resolution, Indonesia will become the first non-permanent member of the UNSC to successfully push for the ratification of the Resolution related to the UNSC Sanctions Committee in the field of counter-terrorism,” said Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno L.P. Marsudi on Wednesday (12/30).
Some of the key points of this Resolution 2560 are:
- Promoting improvement of justice, as well as effectiveness of the functions and work methods of the Sanctions Committee on terrorism;
- Emphasizing importance of the sanction mechanism as part of the countermeasures against terrorism;
- Encouraging the state to continue imposing sanctions and updating the Sanctions List;
- Underlining importance of development, maintain security, and respect human rights in efforts to combat terrorism comprehensively;
- Emphasizing importance of respecting the UN Charter and International Law in countering terrorism; and
- Assigning the 1267 Monitoring Team to prepare recommendations that will later be used to improve one aspect of rules and procedures in the Sanctions Committee.
The support from all UNSC member countries is a reflection of their trust and recognition of Indonesia’s experience and track record in countering terrorism, particularly as Chair of the 1267 Sanctions Committee in the last two years.
This resolution also simultaneously ends Indonesia’s non-permanent membership in the UNSC for the 2019-2020 period.
During the two years of non-permanent membership in the UNSC, Indonesia was entrusted with chairing three UNSC Subsidiary Bodies, namely the 1267 Sanctions Committee, the Afghanistan Sanctions Committee (1988), and the Non-Proliferation Committee on Mass Weapons (1540).
Indonesia’s leadership in the three Sanction Committees received appreciation not only from members of the UNSC, but also from member countries and related UN agencies.
Through Indonesia’s leadership, the Sanctions Committee succeeded in raising its profile and maintaining the credibility and unity of its members. This is inseparable from Indonesia’s significant role in facilitating and bridging various differences, including encouraging consensus in various difficult decision-making.
In addition, during the temporary membership of the UNSC for the 2019-2020 period, Indonesia has initiated two important UNSC resolutions, namely: resolution 2538 on women in UN peacekeeping missions and resolution 2560 related to improving the work methods of the 1267 Sanctions Committee.
“The ratification of this resolution is a year-end gift for Indonesian diplomacy as well as marking the end of Indonesia’s membership in the UNSC since 2019,” Retno said (Ministry of Foreign Affairs/UN) (EST/EP)
