“Without the U.N. and without the support to this mission for security and without the UN.’s participation in food programs and NGOs… we wouldn’t have been able to do half the stuff we’re doing,” says Special Envoy to Sudan Major General Scott Gration regarding progress made toward peace in that country. (0:45)
Richard Barrett, the UN’s coordinator for the al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions monitoring team for Afghanistan said maintaining the rule of law is the UN’s key objective in the coming months. He discussed the ongoing consolidation of the suspected terrorist list being drawn together with cooperation from member states at the United Nations.
UN Resolution 1822, adopted by the Security Council in June 2008, cites “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security” and seeks to improve transparency among countries and bring suspected terrorists forward.
“What we are looking for is a credible list in the fight against terrorism” H.E. Mr. Thomas Mayr-Harting, Permanent Representative of Austria and Chairman of the al Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee said. “”There is a whole technique in this process, we write to the countries involved, and we wait for their responses. The team also has to provide narrative summaries for why suspected terrorists are initially put on the list.”
The 1267 Committee or Sanctions Committee), which is tasked with consolidating the list of the over 500 suspected terrorists, has a mandate to:
* freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities [assets freeze],
* prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by designated individuals
[travel ban], and
* prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals outside their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, spare parts, and technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities, to designated individuals and entities [arms embargo].
Additionally, UN Resolution 1822 welcomes continued cooperation with INTERPOL, in particular on the “development of Special Notices, which assists Member States in their implementation of the measures, and recognizing the role of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Implementation Monitoring Team (“the Monitoring Team”) in this regard”. The Sanction Committee therefore has the right to authorize, enact and implement sanctions in suspected terrorist countries through border patrols and policing systems.
Mr. Barrett, who heads the monitoring team, explained that most of these suspected terrorist names on the list are focused on the Pakistan/Afghan border and in North Africa, where Algeria is listed as the main threat in the region. “There are also increases in recruits further South, namely Mauritania and Niger.” Somalia was also highlighted on the watch list. Barrett added the Afghan border with Iran was recently being examined in regards to drug smuggling.
(video on website)
Talk Radio News’ U.N. Correspondent Tala Dowlatshahi interviews UNRWA Representative Saahir Lone (14:06)
Talk Radio News Managing Editor Victoria Jones speaks with Helene-Marie Gosselin, the U.N. Representative of UNESCO, about the progress of UNESCO (10:50)
Talk Radio News’ Managing Editor Victoria Jones speaks with Dr. Eva Busza, the Principal Officer in the Strategic Planning Unit of Executive Office of the Secretary General (9:22)
Talk Radio News’ Managing Editor Victoria Jones sits down with Edward J. Flynn, the Senior Human Rights Officer with the U.N. Counter-Terrorism Committee about the world-wide state of human rights (7:53)
Talk Radio News’ Managing Editor Victoria Jones speaks with Christopher de Bono, Chief of Media at UNICEF about the international plight of children (9:30)
Talk Radio News’ Managing Editor Victoria Jones speaks with Kiyo Akasaka, U.N. Undersecretary General of Communications and Public Information about the U.N.’s relevancy (5:46)
TRNS Managing Editor Victoria Jones speaks with Anita Sharma with the United Nations Millennium Campaign about what her organization is doing to combat world poverty. (11:31)
TRNS Managing Editor Victoria Jones speaks with Chris de Bono with UNICEF about ways in which his organization is providing humanitarian aid around the globe. (9:28)
