Counter-Terrorism
Expected Council Action
In December, the Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution extending the mandate of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).
CTED’s current mandate expires on 31 December.
Background
On 28 September 2001, the Council adopted resolution 1373 which, among other matters, decided that all states must criminalise terrorist acts, suppress terrorist financing, prevent the movement of terrorists through their borders, and prosecute those engaging in terrorism. The resolution also established the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) to monitor implementation and called on states to report to the CTC on the steps taken to implement the measures outlined in it.
On 26 March 2004, resolution 1535 established CTED as a special political mission headquartered in New York and mandated it to support the work of the CTC, including by coordinating the process of monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373. The Council has since requested CTED to support the CTC in relation to specific issues, such as foreign terrorist fighters, the linkages between terrorism and organised crime, and aviation security.
CTED implements its mandate in several ways. It conducts country visits on the CTC’s behalf to assess member states’ counter-terrorism efforts, including progress made, remaining shortfalls, and priority areas for technical assistance. These visits also serve to identify good practices employed by member states in implementing the Council’s counter-terrorism resolutions as well as gaps in implementation. They are often conducted together with experts from relevant international agencies, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and the World Customs Organisation (WCO), as well as relevant regional and subregional organisation and other actors with expertise of counter-terrorism.
CTED also conducts research and analysis concerning thematic issues and specific aspects of counter-terrorism, such as the exploitation of children by terrorist groups, border management, and supporting victims of sexual and gender-based violence linked to terrorism, and publishes reports and analytical briefs on these topics. In addition, CTED facilitates the delivery of technical assistance by linking existing projects with the needs of member states identified by CTED during its country visits. It also works with other entities in the UN system and the international community more broadly to raise awareness of particular counter-terrorism issues. On 22 October, for example, CTED convened a meeting on “The definition of terrorist acts and international human rights law” with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights.
In recent years, CTED has assisted the CTC with the development of non-binding guiding principles intended to assist the efforts of member states to counter the threat posed by the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes referred to in the Delhi Declaration, which was adopted during a special session of the CTC held in India in October 2022. CTC members agreed to divide the non-binding guiding principles into three products covering different topics: unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), the use of new and emerging financial technologies, and information and communication technologies (ICTs). The first product on UAS, which is referred to as the “Abu Dhabi Guiding Principles”, was issued in December 2023. The second product on new financial technologies, which is known as the “Algeria Guiding Principles”, was issued in January 2025. At the time of writing, work on the non-binding guiding principles on ICTs had not yet begun.
CTED’s mandate was last renewed when resolution 2617 was adopted on 30 December 2021. The negotiations focused on language relating to human rights; engagement between CTED and civil society; illicit trade in cultural property; UAS; and terrorist acts motivated by xenophobia, racism, and other forms of intolerance. Then-Council member Ireland also sought to include text calling on CTED to report to the CTC on practical steps it has taken to integrate gender and human rights into its work, however, this language was ultimately not included. (For more information, see our 30 December 2021 What’s in Blue story.)
On 27 October, the CTC held an open briefing to commemorate CTED’s twentieth anniversary titled “CTED at twenty: advancing global counter-terrorism efforts for the future”. The meeting was divided into two substantive sessions; one focusing on CTED’s impact during the last twenty years and a second highlighting the evolving terrorism threat and the steps CTED will take to raise awareness of emerging issues, trends, and developments.
Key Issues and Options
The renewal of CTED’s mandate is a key issue for the Council in December. The Council will need to review the mission’s mandate and consider whether to extend it for an additional period without making substantive changes or if there is a need to make adjustments. It seems that Council members are generally very supportive of CTED and its work, and some members are likely to push for an extension of its mandate with little or no amendments. At least one permanent member, however, might propose amendments to language relating to international law, gender, human rights, youth, and women, peace, and security. Members who favour retaining this language may wish to consider proposing compromise language that might be acceptable to all members.
Council Dynamics
In general, counter-terrorism enjoys broad support among all Council members. Members do place varying degrees of emphasis, however, on the different approaches to managing the terrorist threat. Some members favour an approach that is founded on human rights, prevention, and the involvement of civil society, while other members prefer to focus more closely on security and law enforcement, including kinetic operations intended to neutralise terrorist groups.
The US is the penholder on counter-terrorism. Algeria is the chair of the CTC.
| Security Council Resolutions | |
| 30 December 2021S/RES/2617 | This resolution extended CTED’s mandate until 31 December 2025. |
| Sanctions Committee Documents | |
| 21 July 2025S/2025/482 | This document transmitted the 36th report of the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team. |
