Statement [Made on Behalf of the Security Council, at the 9497th Meeting, 7 Dec. 2023, in Connection with the Council's Consideration of the Item Entitled "Threats to International Peace and Security"]

S/PRST/2023/6View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Presidential Statement of the Security Council, under agenda item 31 Threats to international peace and security, published in 2023.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

Illicit Arms Trafficking International Security Organized Crime Terrorism Terrorism Financing Transnational Crime

What’s in this document?

18 paragraphs

At the 9497th meeting of the Security Council, held on 7 December 2023, in connection with the Council’s consideration of the item entitled “Threats to international peace and security”, the President of the Security Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council:

“The Security Council reaffirms its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

“The Security Council recalls the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime of 2000 and the Protocols thereto, the United Nations Convention against Corruption of 2003, and the international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols, as well as all relevant resolutions it has adopted.

“The Security Council stresses that States are primarily responsible to prevent and combat transnational organized crime and that securing their borders is their sovereign prerogative and, in this context, reaffirms its commitment to the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter, including the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity and political independence.

“The Security Council also reaffirms that States have the primary responsibility to counter terrorist acts and recalls its resolution 2482 (2019) which calls upon Member States to enhance coordination of efforts at all levels in order to strengthen a global response to linkages between international terrorism and organized crime, whether domestic or transnational, that pose a threat to international security.

“The Security Council expresses concern with the serious and growing threats posed by transnational organized crime and acknowledges that in specific contexts and regions terrorists may benefit from organized crime, whether domestic or transnational such as the trafficking in arms, drugs, cultural property and trafficking in persons, as well as the illicit trade in natural resources including gold and other precious metals and stones, minerals, charcoal and oil, timber, illicit trafficking in wildlife and other crimes that affect the environment.

“The Security Council notes that transnational crimes may threaten the security of countries on its agenda, including post-conflict states, and expresses its intention to consider such threats, as appropriate. In this context the Security Council expresses its serious concern over the increase of drug trafficking, smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons and illicit trafficking and smuggling of small arms and light weapons by land, air and sea, and other criminal activities by organized criminal groups and networks which undermine the authority of States and threaten peace and security in many regions of the world. The Security Council notes with concern the link between organized crime and the financing of terrorism in some cases and some regions.

“The Security Council recognizes the importance of enhancing international and regional cooperation to counter transnational organized crime, piracy, and armed robbery at sea.

“The Security Council calls on all Member States to improve border management and international cooperation to effectively constrain the spread of transnational threats and acknowledges that distinct strategies are required to address threats related to border security and further insists on the importance for Member States to adopt a comprehensive and balanced approach, as necessary.

“The Security Council expresses concern with the development of organized crime groups and networks, which are better equipped with new information and communication technologies, and are becoming more decentralized diversified and connected in their illicit operations, which in some cases may aggravate threats to international security.

“The Security Council recognizes the need for Member States to take appropriate measures consistent with international law to address the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, including to transnational organized crime and terrorism; and urges Member States at national level to Strengthen, where appropriate, their judicial, law enforcement and border-control capacities, and developing their investigation capabilities of arms-trafficking networks.

“The Security Council expresses grave concern on the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons which pose threats to international peace and security in various regions of the world, cause significant loss of life, and contribute to instability and insecurity.

“The Security Council emphasizes the importance of Member States taking appropriate measures, at the national, regional and international levels, in accordance with international law and their domestic legal frameworks, to prevent the illicit trafficking of weapons to transnational criminal organizations and terrorists, and to prevent, within this context, diversion, as well as looting or acquiring small arms and light weapons from national stockpiles by terrorists and organized criminal groups and networks, and stresses in this regard the importance of assisting States, upon request, in particular in countries and regions affected by conflict, to enable them to monitor and control stockpiles of small arms and light weapons, in order to prevent criminal and terrorist groups from acquiring such weapons.

“The Security Council stresses the importance of international cooperation to prevent and eliminate the diversion and illicit supply of weapons to terrorists, organized criminal groups and networks, and encourages Member States in this regard to enhance in particular their judicial and law enforcement cooperation, consistent with their international obligations and domestic legal framework.

“The Security Council calls for strengthening the coordination of United Nations actions, including those of its agencies, funds and programmes, in order to enhance the effectiveness of appropriate international efforts.

“The Security Council encourages the United Nations, in particular the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) and its Global CT Compact Entities as well as regional and subregional organizations to continue their endeavours to provide, within their respective mandates technical assistance and capacity-building to Member States, upon their request to support them in preventing and countering transnational organized crime and terrorism, respectively, as well as to continue to prepare relevant reports.

“The Security Council recognizes the importance of enhanced political and conflict-related analysis including, where relevant, on the criminal networks which support transnational organized crime and terrorism and invites the Secretary-General as appropriate to consider these factors in United Nations’ conflict prevention efforts, conflict analysis, and integrated missions’ assessment and planning and to consider including this in his reports related with the situations on the agenda.

“The Security Council recognizes the importance of civil society, including community-based civil society, grassroots organizations, the private sector, academia, think tanks, media, youth, women, and cultural, educational, and religious leaders in increasing awareness about the threats of terrorism and more effectively tackling them.”

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