On November 21, 2024, the State of Qatar briefed the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) on its efforts to counter terrorism since the Committee’s assessment visit in 2020. Since 2005, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), acting on behalf of the CTC, conducted 21 assessment visits to 10 Member States in the Middle East. Qatar is the first country in region to brief the CTC following an assessment visit and the 12th Member State worldwide, reflecting its commitment to transparency, international cooperation and the adoption of good practices.
Her Excellency Ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations in New York opened the briefing, expressing Qatar’s commitment to engagement with the United Nations counter-terrorism architecture, noting its strong support to CTED and other UN bodies. His Excellency Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Henzab, Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and member of Qatar’s National Counter-Terrorism Committee, elaborated on Qatar’s approach in combating terrorism, focusing on:
? Prosecuting foreign terrorist fighters and fostering international judicial cooperation;
? Strengthening oversight of non-profit organizations with a risk-based, transparent, and rights-focused approach;
? Advancing human rights, refugee protections, and access to justice, including juvenile justice and witness protection frameworks;
? Enhancing data security and digital evidence management, along with compliance with UN sanctions and updates to counter-terrorism legislation.
Together with other national counter terrorism officials, Ambassador Faisal Abdullah Al-Henzab, presented Qatar’s success in securing major events, using the 2022 FIFA World Cup as a benchmark for implementing robust security measures. They expressed their readiness to share Qatar’s experience and expertise in event security with the global community.
Following the briefing, Assistant Secretary-General Natalia Gherman, Executive Director of CTED, welcomed Qatar’s commitment to implement the Committee’s recommendations and to address emerging threats, as well as Qatar’s active engagement with CTED.
Members of the Committee welcomed the briefing and commended Qatar for the measures it had taken to implement the Committee’s recommendations.