The Chair of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), H.E. Ambassador Raimonda Murmokait?, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the United Nations, on 7 October 2014 participated in the 10th symposium and exhibition on machine readable travel documents, biometrics and border security, organised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada.
“The Committee is well aware that any vulnerability in travel-identification systems, travel-document security, or the security of document issuance can facilitate the movement of terrorists and other criminals across borders. We therefore consider secure, effective identification management to be of the utmost importance,” the Chair said in her remarks.
Referring to the recently adopted Security Council resolution 2178 (2014), Ambassador Murmokait? pointed out that the resolution “underscores the need for States to address the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters and encourages States to employ evidence-based traveller-risk assessment and screening procedures.”
“The Committee shares ICAO’s view that a holistic, coherent, and coordinated approach to the issuance of travel documents is critical. A travel document is only as secure as the various safeguards built into the entire system to ensure that the identity of the individual to whom the passport is being issued is genuine,” the Chair said in closing.
ICAO is a close partner of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in the delivery of technical assistance to States for capacity-building aimed at implementing Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005).