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| UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon |
NEW YORK, September 21, 2011 - Grenada believes that there is a
need to develop strategies to curb terrorist financing and its perceived and
actual relationship to drugs, weapons and human smuggling.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Karl
Hood told a High Level Symposium on International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation
that as a small island developing state, Grenada does its share of
counter-terrorism in the world today.
Minister Hood, who addressed
Monday’s meeting at the United Nations’ Headquarters, said that Grenada will
continue to partner with small and developing states to prevent safe havens and
avenues for terrorists and strengthen air and sea port security of vulnerable
states with links to targets nations and destinations.
He also said that there is need
for global intelligence linkages among partnering states for the sharing of
real time intelligence.
“As difficult as it may be, we
must find avenues to address the problem at its core, by meeting the social and
human needs of young persons and minimising the spread of the ideological
concepts that drive terrorist activities,” said Minister Hood, who was speaking
in his capacity as Chair of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism
(CICTE).
CICTE is the sole
counter-terrorism hemispheric body comprising all the independent nations of
the Americas.
Mr Hood said that CICTE has
become an effective mechanism to prevent terrorist acts that threaten the
security, safety, freedom and overall well-being of our peoples and our
nations.
“As Chair of CICTE, Grenada
wishes to assure this forum that under its leadership CICTE will continue to
pursue constructive collaboration with the United Nations and its various
agencies, as well as with the private sector in order to sustain this optimum
harmonized approach and unified front to countering terrorism,” he said.
In his opening remarks to the symposium, Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon announced the creation of a UN Centre for Counter Terrorism
(UNCCT). Saudi Arabia will contribute $10 million over the next three years to
set up the centre, which will be based in New York and support the
implementation of the strategy, as well as foster international cooperation,
strengthen individual countries’ capacity-building efforts and build up a
database of best practices to counter terrorism.
“What I see here today is the start of a new era in
counterterrorism cooperation," Ban said. "States recognize that they
cannot do it alone." He added, “Let us chart a course that reflects
our determination to defeat terrorism and build a safer, more just and peaceful
world for all.”
Minister Hood was accompanied to the meeting by Permanent
Secretary Sybil Alexander and Grenada’s Permanent Representative to the United
Nations, Ambassador Dessima Williams.
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