UNOCT Programme Office to be established in Qatar
O Shura Council, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism sign agreement
Qatar, represented by the Shura Council, and the United Nations, represented by the United Nations Office of CounterTerrorism (UNOCT), yesterday signed an agreement to establish the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Programme Office in Doha, which is concerned with parliamentary engagement in preventing and combating terrorism.
The UNOCT Programme Office will be headquartered in Qatar, and its activities will cover the parliaments of the world.
The agreement was signed by HE the Speaker of the Shura Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid alMahmoud and the UN Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov, in the presence of HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya bint Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, via video conferencing.
Commenting on the occasion, HE the Speaker of the Shura Council said it was a “historic day” when the Shura Council signed exchange letters between Qatar and the United Nations, represented by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, to establish the UNOCT Programme Office which is concerned with parliamentary engagement in preventing and combating terrorism, to be headquartered in the State of Qatar and its activities will cover the parliaments of the world.
The two sides also signed the parties’ contribution agreement to establish the Office.
HE the Speaker of the Shura Council underlined that this important event, which comes at a time when the international community commemorates the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, represents another block in building a lasting and fruitful cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and a recognition by the United Nations and the international community of the wisdom of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and his sound policy in the field of countering terrorism in all its types, and eliminating its causes.
HE the Speaker of the Shura Council said the opening this office in Doha sends a clear message to the international community that Qatar is on the right track in all its anti-terrorism initiatives, and that it is exerting every effort to promote the engagement of parliamentarians from all over the world in the noble tasks to save humanity from the scourge of terrorism and the violence that leads to it, and to establish a safe, stable and prosperous international community governed by law and prevailed by co-operation.
HE Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud welcomed the establishment of the UNOCT Programme Office in Qatar, pledging to provide all capabilities to enable the office to perform its duties to the fullest.
He said that the establishment of this office represents an important qualitative leap in the endeavors of the international community, given the great role of parliaments in light of their legislative, political and social weight, and their strong and direct influence on all issues of concern to the peoples of the world, especially the issue of combating terrorism.
He indicated that the tasks of this office are focused on conducting research and analysis and carrying out normative work in support of preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism, including monitoring the enactment of new legislation in all parts of the world; helping to formulate legislation, policies and model strategies for combating terrorism led by parliaments; and providing technical assistance and legal and advisory services to parliaments to facilitate implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and terrorism-related Security Council resolutions.
He added that the office will work with the executive management of the UN CounterTerrorism Committee to identify parliaments’ needs for technical assistance to establish and manage parliamentary committees that address terrorism and violent extremism, strengthen parliamentary diplomacy and international parliamentary co-operation, in addition to supporting the creation and operation of a global parliamentary network, the creation and maintenance of a web-based platform, and the production of multimedia materials for parliamentarians.
HE the Shura Council Speaker looked forward for humanity to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic, for the world to restore its normal activity, and for Qatar to co-operate with the United Nations to launch fruitful initiatives that have positive effects in the fight against terrorism
For his part, Under-SecretaryGeneral of the UNOCT Vladimir Voronkov expressed thanks and appreciation to the Shura Council and Qatar for their role in combating terrorism, praising the establishment of the UNOCT Programme Office in Doha, which constitutes an important contribution to the international efforts in the fight against terrorism, especially as it is concerned with the parliamentary engagement in this field, which gives the office a special importance and an effective and influential role in the international arena. He added that the activities of the UN office concerned with parliamentary participation in preventing and combating terrorism includes all parliaments of world countries, and its mission is focused on enhancing parliamentary contribution and strengthening its capabilities at the national, regional and global levels, within the framework of international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism that leads to terrorism.
In press statements following the signing of the agreement, HE the Shura Council Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud said that the office will be opened during the next three months.
He expressed pride for choosing Qatar to establish the only office in the world for counter terrorism through parliamentarians, stressing that the office will have a major role in training and qualifying Qatari cadres who will join the legal experts working in the office from various world countries. He added that the office will have a great role in unifying the vision of parliaments and parliamentarians from different world countries towards the phenomenon of terrorism, and how to combat it and mobilise international public opinion to confront it.
HE the Shura Council Speaker said that the establishment of this office in Doha comes as an appreciation from the international community for Qatar’s distinguished role in combating terrorism, based on the policy of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in this field, and his keenness on unifying the global efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and whatever its motives, and to eliminate its causes. The main tasks of the office includes undertaking joint initiatives to support the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and relevant Security Council resolutions in countering terrorism and violent extremism leading to terrorism; and providing technical assistance and legal advisory services to parliaments in order to support their role in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the Security Council resolutions and terrorism-related instruments.