Foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and their cross-border movements continue to present a threat to Member States. UNODC and Kazakhstan are partnering to combat the flow of FTFs.
In response to the growing challenges related to the cross-border movement of FTFs, UN Security Council resolution 2396 was adopted in 2017. The resolution calls upon Member States to take effective measures to address the threats posed by FTFs and imposes certain international legal obligations upon Member States in the areas related to border security and information exchange.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's Terrorism Prevention Branch and the Regional Office for Central Asia, jointly with the Academy of the Law Enforcement Agencies under the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan, delivered a workshop on strengthening the use of advanced investigative techniques and cross-border investigations in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2396 (2017). The event, which aimed to support national government agencies' efforts to implement the resolution, took place in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan on 26-27 February 2020.
The event was conducted under the framework of UNODC's project that supports implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2396 (2017)-related to investigation capacities and cooperation against transnational and cross-border terrorism in Central Asia, South Asia and North Africa, funded by the United States of America.
It brought together 40 participants, including representatives of law enforcement bodies and other relevant Kazakh and multilateral agencies as well as international experts to discuss challenges related to cross-border movement of FTFs, strategies and measures that states can develop and implement to enhance border security cooperation at the intra-agency and inter-agency level. Notably, this includes cross-border investigation and strengthened capacity to detect, intercept and monitor individuals involved in terrorism-related activities in border areas.
Experts representing the International Air Transport Association, INTERPOL, the International Organization for Migration, OSCE, UNOCT, UNODC and the World Customs Organization facilitated the workshop by sharing their expertise. The sessions also addressed current good practices, case studies and practical examples applicable to the current international framework to identify and detect FTFs, including the use of databases, advanced passenger information and passenger name record systems, and watchlists in counter-terrorism and border security contexts.