NEW YORK, APRIL 18 – Following up on his visit in Rome three weeks ago, the UN Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, Head of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), met with the Italian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mariangela Zappia. The meeting was an opportunity to reaffirm the strong partnership between Italy and UNOCT. Steps were discussed to implement the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding countering the financing of terrorism.
While in Rome at the end of March at the invitation of the Government, Mr. Voronkov signed, in the presence of Mr. Enzo Moavero Milanesi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, a MoU with the Italian Guardia di Finanza for capacity-building cooperation on countering the financing of terrorism. At the time Voronkov emphasized that the agreement will allow the requesting Member States and the United Nations as a whole “to benefit from Italy’s long-standing experience and expertise in fighting economic and financial crime, ensuring respect for the rule of law”.
The signing ceremony took place on the day that UN Security Council adopted a landmark resolution aimed at strengthening the global response to the financing of terrorism. The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), was established in June 2017 to provide leadership on the implementation of General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates, to enhance coordination and coherence through the Global Counter-Terrorism Compact, and to strengthen the delivery of the United Nations counter-terrorism capacity building assistance to Member States, through the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT).(@OnuItalia)