Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Gennady Kuzmin at UN Security Council briefing on "Shared Causes of Intercommunal Violence and Preventing Violent Extremism in West Africa"
Mm. President,
At the outset, let me draw attention to the fact that the topic of the briefing that was endorsed in the framework of UNSC programme of work for December is different from what you propose to discuss today. We proceed from the assumption that by replacing issues of terrorism with a politicized concept of prevention of violent extremism (PVE), you by all means understood that it might be not welcome.
However, in my statement I will proceed from the initial concept of the meeting that implied discussions of sources of terrorist threat in West Africa, exchange of opinions with the affected countries and search for ways out of this crisis given participation of relevant international bodies. In this regard, I would like to thank Mohamed Chambas and Smail Chergui for the detailed reports about the expertise that has been accumulated and assessments that have been made by the bodies under their lead.
Mm. President,
Russia expresses its heartfelt condolences to the people and government of Niger with regard to the death of over 70 Nigerien military servicemen on 10 December that resulted from a terrorist attack on the military camp near Malian border. We hope those responsible for this atrocious crime will be found and held accountable. We reiterate our full support for Niamey in countering terrorist threat.
Unfortunately, the terrible events that happened in Niger prove that situation with security in this part of the continent continues to deteriorate. Tragic reports about deaths of dozens of military officers or civil citizens from the hands of clandestine criminals arrive almost weekly from various countries of the region. Threat of destabilization has already expanded to the states of the Gulf of Guinea.
We share concerns of other UNSC member states regarding “Al-Qaida”, “Boko Haram”, and ISIL strengthening their positions on the African continent. What raises particular concern is creation of the “Islamic State in West Africa” that comprehensively proclaims the goal to build a global caliphate in the countries of the region and carries out zealous terrorist activity at the intersection of borders of Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, and Chad.
Uncontrolled migration flows that let terrorists benefit from economic contradictions and recruit neophytes, the devastated system of arms traffic control, or, in some cases, the initial absence of such system, unstopping cross-border smuggle, i.a. of narcotic drugs – all of this has made it possible for terrorist groups to procure a significant resource potential.
Mm. President,
Today some countries try to prove that the primary cause of the outbreak of violence in the region was conflicts between farmers and grazers. Meanwhile, this is the result rather than the reason. We disagree that real sources of terrorism in Africa have to do only with internal economic and political problems.
It is important to stick to the balanced approach that accounts for the entire set of problems that produce terrorism, i.a. external interference, as it was, for example, the case in Syria and Libya. States of West Africa have to “reap the fruit” of ruined statehood in Libya that resulted from a NATO intervention. We believe without stabilization in this country (Libya) – and this is what Africans also tell us – it will be almost impossible to ensure sustainable stabilization in the region.
Instead of trying to give a frank answer to the question why some countries of the region have had a “vacuum of power” and from where terrorists have got all their military arsenals, our Western partners try to placate states of West Africa with all sorts of programs based on the PVE concept that have been developed unilaterally.
Since there is no universal definition of “violent extremism” that would be embodied in the international law, we call upon our partners to avoid the non-consensus terminology, including such novelties as “homegrown violent extremist organization”.
The PVE concept rests upon outreach to the civil society in circumvention of the state. In our view, it builds prerequisites for interference in the domestic affairs, i.a. for the purpose of instigating “revolutions of color” or their analogues. Let me stress – we have no questions whatsoever either to involvement of civil society or to strengthening of the law-enforcement component of combatting terrorism. However, this capacity should be used with due account for the specifics and traditions of the country, without blurring state’s leading role in countering terrorism, while relying on international legal norms rather than some “rules of world order”.
If the authors of the PVE concept really want to prove it effective, for a start they should try and delegate the law-enforcement functions at their own territory to non-governmental establishments. We do not think it would let them solve the pressing problems of spread of xenophobic and neo-Nazist ideas, stepping up of right-extremist organizations that push for race-, ethnicity-, and religion-based violence. So far, selective activity that rests on PVE concept and focuses on developing countries looks more like an instrument of political manipulation.
We are convinced that terrorist threat can only be countered if no one uses “double standards” and if we proceed from a comprehensive approach that combines forceful measures and diversified preventive activity.
Mm President,
Further coordinated steps are of utmost importance. They should be coming from both Africans and the global community, and aim at combatting terrorism in Sahara-Sahel region. In this regard, we support efforts of the G5 Sahel and states from the Lake Chad basin as they deploy forces to combat terrorism and organized crime.
We need to counter the expansion of terrorist ideology in an effective way, get down to solving most urgent social and economic problems, strengthen state institutions, develop culture of respect for human rights. Therefore, we attach great importance to implementing the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel, and to activity of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel in the region. Besides, we support the decision made by ECOWAS member states at the summit in Niamey to invest up to 1 billion USD in action to improve the situation in the region.
Russia keeps close track of the developments in West Africa and Sahel. We already provide relevant military and technical assistance to a number of states, train police and military personnel. We call upon all states to enhance diversified cooperation with countries of the region in the area of countering terrorism without limiting this activity only to solving inter-communal controversies. Neither should we replace the aforementioned efforts with abstract speculations about the threat of violent extremism.
Thank you.
