UN Philippines chief bats for Philippines' ratification of treaty to stop acts of nuclear terrorism

MANILA, 24 May 2023--United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Gustavo Gonzalez advocated today for the ratification by the Philippines of the international treaty to suppress acts of nuclear terrorism during a national advocacy event hosted by the Philippines House of Representatives' Special Committee on Nuclear Energy.

The treaty, called the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), obliges State Parties to extradite or prosecute acts of nuclear terrorism. It also calls for cooperation among State Parties to prevent terrorist attacks by sharing information and assisting each other with criminal investigations and extradition. The Philippines signed the convention in 2005, but it has yet to ratify it.

Just as importantly, Mr. Gonzalez called for "a human rights-based approach to countering terrorism." He added that "the effectiveness of conventions and treaties on security and counterterrorism also depends on a multisectoral, interagency and interdisciplinary work where the various government structures converge their actions under a solid and comprehensive human rights-based approach to protection."

The text of Mr. Gonzalez's Opening Remarks at the national advocacy event follows.

Excellencies, dear Partners, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this event on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, known as ICSANT, kindly hosted by the House of Representatives of the Philippines.

As law- and policymakers, Members of the Congress play a crucial role in ensuring the effective implementation of United Nations resolutions on countering terrorism, as well as the international conventions and protocols related to terrorism, including ICSANT.

Equally important is the role of the relevant Departments and Agencies in translating those decisions and instruments into concrete actions.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted ICSANT by consensus in 2005. It entered into force in 2007 and currently has 120 Parties engaged in its implementation.

As a legally binding instrument, the Convention obliges State Parties to extradite or prosecute alleged offenders. It also calls for cooperation among State Parties to prevent terrorist attacks by sharing information and assisting each other with criminal investigations and extradition.

While the Philippines signed the convention in 2005, it has yet to ratify it.

Dear partners,

Today’s meeting is organized within the framework of a joint project of the European Union and the United Nations on Promoting the Universalization and Effective Implementation of ICSANT.

This global project, implemented as a partnership between the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), seeks to enhance appreciation of the importance of ratification and encourage an effective implementation of the Convention. 

The objective of today’s event is to raise awareness on both the threat of nuclear terrorism and the path that the Philippines could undertake to join the Convention.

In addition to the United Nations entities, namely UNOCT, UNODC and UNICRI, I am pleased to acknowledge the contribution of INTERPOL and the International Atomic Energy Agency, to assist in this effort.

The risk of terrorists gaining access to nuclear and radiological materials poses a significant threat to humanity and international peace and security.

In 2014, it was reported that ISIL had seized 40 kilos of low enriched uranium from scientific institutions at the Mosul University in Iraq. This shows that the possibility of such materials falling into the hands of non-state actors, including terrorists, is real.

The Mosul incident was not an isolated case. The International Atomic Energy Agency, in its Incident and Trafficking Database, lists 4,075 confirmed incidents of illicit trafficking and other unauthorized activities involving nuclear and radioactive materials, which Member States have reported over the last 30 years. 

In light of increasingly strong linkages between organized crime and terrorism, nuclear and radiological materials trafficked by criminal groups could easily end up in the hands of terrorists. 

The implementation of ICSANT in the South East Asia region is of significant importance considering, amongst others, its volume of trade, shipment and trans-shipment; the extensive use of radiological sources for industrial, medical, agricultural and environmental purposes; the presence of critical infrastructure facilities including nuclear research reactors; as well the plan of some Member States, including the Philippines, to develop nuclear energy power plants. All these could be challenged by the presence in the region of terrorism and organized crime, including maritime piracy, increasing the risk of radiological and/or nuclear terrorism and illicit trafficking.

Moreover, implementing measures such as strengthening border and export controls; reinforcing detection and response mechanisms; securing materials (storage and transport) and critical infrastructure; and promoting radiological and nuclear security culture, could enhance regional security and have a positive effect on the region’s economic growth.

Finally, allow me to stress that preserving peace and protecting people's safety is not a pure security issue. They cannot be achieved at the expense of fundamental human rights.

In this sense, the effectiveness of conventions and treaties on security and counterterrorism also depends on a multisectoral, interagency and interdisciplinary work where the various government structures converge their actions under a solid and comprehensive human rights-based approach to protection.

It is my hope that you will find today’s event informative and useful and that it will reinforce the Philippines’s interest to consider ratification of this important Convention.

Through effective cooperation and partnerships, we hope to provide a collective response to this global challenge. Each of you have an important part to play in making the world safer from nuclear terrorism.

Thank you very much. [Ends]