On behalf of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, CTED conducted a five-day assessment visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan from 16 to 20 May 2016 to discuss Kazakhstan’s implementation of certain aspects of Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005), and 2178 (2014) in relation to legal matters, international cooperation, terrorism financing, law enforcement, and border management. The discussions also focused on Kazakhstan’s technical assistance needs.
“The delegation noted a number of significant initiatives, including the President’s call for the establishment of a global counter-terrorism network and his recent manifesto “XXI Century: A World without war,” said Mr. Weixiong Chen, CTED Deputy Executive Director and head of delegation. “Kazakhstan is also to be commended for developing a multidisciplinary plan to address the factors that lead to terrorism,” Mr. Chen added.
Kazakhstan reaffirmed its strong commitment to countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and informed the delegation about the counter-terrorism and CVE efforts of its relevant agencies, including with respect to the threat stemming from foreign terrorist fighters, and the abuse of the Internet and social media by terrorists.
Kazakhstan estimates that between 300 and 500 of its citizens (including spouses and children) have left the country to become foreign terrorist fighters. The authorities have been taking steps to address this phenomenon, including through judicial proceedings and de-radicalization programmes.
In addition to CTED experts, the delegation included representatives of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team in support of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011), and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities; the Expert Group of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004); the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI); the International Organization for Migration (IOM); the World Customs Organization (WCO); the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE); the Eurasian Group on Combating Money-Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism (EAG); the Anti-Terrorism Centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States (ATC-CIS); and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (RATS SCO).