New Delhi, Dec 27: India will chair the Counter Terrorism Committee of UNSC in January 2022 for the first time after 2012.
The Counter Terrorism Committee was established by Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) adopted unanimously on 28 September 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US.
The Committee was tasked with monitoring implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), which requested countries to implement a number of measures aimed at enhancing their legal and institutional ability to counter terrorist activities at home and around the world.
This includes taking steps to criminalize the financing of terrorism, freezing any funds related to persons involved in acts of terrorism, deny all forms of financial support for terrorist groups, suppress the provision of safe haven, sustenance or support for terrorists and share information with other governments on any groups practicing or planning terrorist acts.
Besides, the Committee monitors steps taken to cooperate with other governments in the investigation, detection, arrest, extradition and prosecution of those involved in terror acts and criminalizes active and passive assistance for terrorism.
India’s Permanent Representative at UNSC TS Tirumurti earlier this year said that India will chair 3 key subsidiary bodies of United Nations Security Council. The committees are Taliban Sanctions Committee, Counter-Terrorism Committee for the year 2022 and Libya Sanctions committee.
“The Taliban Sanctions Committee has always been a high priority for India keeping in minds our strong interest and commitment to peace, security, development and progress of Afghanistan. Our chairing this committee at this juncture will help keep the focus on the presence of terrorists and their sponsors threatening the peace process in Afghanistan. It has been our view that peace process and violence cannot go hand in hand,” said Tirumurti.
India is currently a non-permanent member of the 15-member Security Council for a two-year term and is a strong contender for permanent membership of the global body. India has been continuously raising its voice against terrorism in international forums. Recently it said at the United Nations that it would continue to take firm and decisive action against Pak sponsored terrorism and that it is the responsibility of Pakistan to create a conducive environment for any meaningful dialogue which can only be conducted in an atmosphere free from terror, hostility and violence.
