Discorso pronunciato dall’Ambasciatore Sebastiano Cardi, Rappresentante Permanente dell’Italia presso le Nazioni Unite, al meeting in formula Arria in Consiglio di Sicurezza su “Prevenzione del terrorismo e dell’estremismo violento nel Corno d’Africa: valorizzare il partenariato per gli sforzi regionali” —
I wish to thank Ambassador Tekeda and to thank you, dear colleagues, for being with us here today.
I am particularly pleased that Ethiopia and Italy have organized this Arria-formula meeting for three reasons. First and foremost, this is the first time that the two co-chairs of IGAD and the IGAD Partners Forum have promoted an event in the Security Council that focuses also on IGAD initiatives. This is the sign of a solid partnership, shared by both parties.
Secondly, because we will speak about preventing and countering violent extremism in a strategic area of the world, the Horn of Africa, an area that has been in the cross-fires of the fight against extremism for years, and to which Italy dedicates special attention.
Finally, because this meeting is open to the region and to partners of the region, consistent with our deep conviction that we need to do more than pay lip service to “ownership.” We need to observe the principle both during the discussion and in the implementation of policies.
The United Nations and the whole international community are striving to consolidate a holistic approach to prevent radicalization and violent extremism, while facing multiple specific threats arising in different regions, such as Foreign Terrorist Fighters and the rehabilitation of combatants. Italy’s view and this Arria-Formula meeting position within this context.
A stronger and comprehensive regional cooperation is crucial to prevent and counter terrorism, including violent extremism. We believe that IGAD can play a crucial role in this respect. IGAD can contribute to promote the implementation of the relevant international legal instruments in this field in the Horn of Africa.
Italy has made an initial contribution of 300.000 Euros to the IGAD Center of Excellence on countering violent extremism. We are also drafting a Memorandum of Understanding with IGAD to consolidate the CVE training programs through the involvement of the Carabinieri.
The Djibouti-based Center of Excellence is a structure in which we believe, indeed. It reflects the concept, which we share, that we need to gradually strengthen the capacity of the region to inspire, coordinate, and assist Governments first-hand in the implementation of their respective national P-CVE strategies.
IGAD has this aspiration, as it demonstrated by adopting the regional CVE strategy, an important instrument of sub-regional policy in countering radicalization. We know that other IPF partners have significant initiatives in the pipeline with IGAD, UNODC, UNDP and the States of the region.
In this regard we wish to recall the experience gained in the region, for example, in Somalia. This has taught us that the effects of international cooperation on the capacities of the region to tackle the root causes of violent extremism are more effective when there is structured coordination among the partners in the planning, donation, and implementation assistance phases.
This is why we think the Security Council is in an ideal position to foster a synergetic approach to the terrorist threat, based on the principle of subsidiarity enshrined in Chapter VIII of the UN Charter.
The recent framework agreement signed by the UN and the African Union provides an extra incentive to consolidate the international community’s investment in the capacity of East Africa to develop a response that is consistent with international standards and tailored to local realities.
The Council has not only the institutional authority but also the concrete political and regulatory instruments to do so: both through specific resolutions, like 2178 (2014) on terrorist acts, and in a cross-cutting way, like we did in the recent resolution 2358 (2017) that renewed the UNSOM mandate.
Resolution 2178 encourages Member States to develop inclusive strategies with local governments, communities, and non-governmental stakeholders to counter the extremist narrative and the sources of radicalization.
On this point I look forward to hearing the UNODC and UNDP experts, who are doing precious work in the field with reintegration and rehabilitation projects for extremists as well as support for capacity-building, with a view to short- and long-term prevention.
We also encourage our colleagues who are members of IGAD and the African Union Delegation to interact. We believe that your assessments, suggestions, and information on your initiatives are the most useful contribution toward calibrating the development of the file in the Security Council.
I thank you. I now give the floor to Mauro Miedico, Chief a.i. of the Terrorism Branch of UNODC.
