‘Terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security’. Evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee (CIC) and its associated bodies in addressing and mitigating this threat at the international level

Terrorism is the unlawful use of violence by non-state actors or individuals to instill fear or intimidate governments or societies in pursuit of political, ideological, religious, or social goals. According to Global Terrorism Index 2024, In 2023, deaths from terrorism increased by 22 per cent.

How terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security?

• Erosion of State Sovereignty and Security:  In countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, and Syria, terrorist groups such as the Taliban, Al-Shabaab, and ISIS exploited weak or collapsed governments to establish control over significant territories

• Terrorism’s Impact on Global Economic Stability: 

• • • Disruption of Trade and Commerce: The 9/11 attacks in the United States caused a direct economic loss of about $40 billion,
    • Impact on Tourism: The Bali bombings in 2002 severely damaged Indonesia’s tourism industry for years. 
    • Increased Defense and Security Costs: The United States increased its defense budget by trillions of dollars following the 9/11 attacks to fund the War on Terror in Iraq, Afghanistan.

• Humanitarian Crises and Displacement: The rise of ISIS and the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Iraq led to one of the largest refugee crises in modern history.

• Terrorism as a Driver of International Political Tensions: 

• • • Groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba have created tension between India and Pakistan.
    • Following terrorist attacks such as the 2015 Paris attacks and the 2017 Manchester bombing, there was a noticeable rise in anti-Muslim sentiments across Europe.

• Use of Technology and Cyberterrorism: ISIS used social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube to spread its propaganda globally.

• • IS hijacked an account belonging to a fan of the pop singer Justin Bieber and used it to promote material from the cache.

Bodies associated with counter-terrorism

• The UN Security Council established the Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on the United States through Resolution 1373 (2001).
• United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) – Established in 2017 to enhance coordination and coherence within the UN system on counter-terrorism issues.
• Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee: Established through Resolution 1267 (1999) to impose sanctions on individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Achievements of the CTC and Associated Bodies

• Strengthening Legal Framework

• • • Resolution 1373 (2001) obliges states to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, enhance international cooperation, and criminalize terrorist actions.
    • Resolution 1540 (2004) focuses on preventing non-state actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, a vital element in preventing catastrophic terrorist attacks.

• International Cooperation and Information Sharing: The 2017 UNSC Resolutions 2368 and 2396 reinforced global efforts to curb terrorist travel and financing.

• Sanctions on Terrorist Groups and Individuals: The 1267 Sanctions Committee has successfully imposed sanctions on terrorist organizations and individuals, freezing their assets, restricting travel, and banning arms sales.

• Capacity Building and Technical Assistance: CTED provides technical assistance and capacity-building support to help member states 
  •  In Africa, the UN has partnered with regional organizations like the African Union to strengthen border security, improve intelligence-sharing.

 Challenges Faced by the CTC and Associated Bodies

• Defining terrorism: Due to the lack of a universally accepted definition it leads to inconsistencies in international responses. 

• The United Nations has multiple resolutions addressing terrorism without a cohesive definition.

• Lack of Enforcement Mechanisms: In countries like Somalia or Libya, the CTC’s efforts to improve counter-terrorism measures are often ineffective.

• Political Complexities and Veto Power: China’s repeated vetoing of resolutions to designate certain terrorists has hampered efforts to bring global consensus on groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed.
  • China blocked a proposal by India and the United States to designate Sajid Mir, a key figure in the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and wanted for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, as a global terrorist in June 2023.
• Evolving Nature of Terrorism:  new challenges such as cyber-terrorism, lone-wolf attacks, and online radicalization emerging.
  • In 2023, there was a 30% rise in cyber-terrorism incidents compared to the previous year.

Suggestions for enhancing the Effectiveness of the CTC and Associated Bodies:

• Strengthening International Legal Instruments: creating a binding international legal framework for counter-terrorism 
• Enhanced Cooperation and Intelligence Sharing: improve real-time intelligence-sharing mechanisms, especially with regard to terrorist financing and movement.
• Increased Focus on Preventing Radicalization: partnering with local communities, religious leaders, and civil society
• Targeted Funding and Capacity Building: Greater financial and technical support should be extended to developing nations

Conclusion:

There is a need the for a comprehensive, whole-of-society, human rights compliant and gender-sensitive approach to prevents rising acts of terrorism and violent extremism.

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