Concerted efforts are essential for Member States to effectively tackle the growing nexus between organized crime and terrorism, which affects all global regions and has the potential to undermine the rule of law and jeopardize regional stability, security, and development.
Speaking at the launch of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI)’s report: The Nexus between Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism in Latin America, Ambassador José Javier De La Gasca Lopez-Domínguez, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the UN outlined the negative impact of this growing connection and called for greater collaboration to curb it.
“In recent years in the Latin American region, we have witnessed an alarming increase in the sophistication and reach of transnational organized crime networks. They exploit our borders, infiltrate our institutions, and prey on our communities, creating a widespread climate of terror and instability,” he said.
Ambassador De La Gasca said addressing the links between terrorism and transnational organized crime in Latin America required commitment and collective action. He added that Ecuador was prepared to work with all stakeholders to tackle this challenge.
Echoing similar sentiments, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada, Ambassador Richard Arbeiter commended efforts to tackle the nexus and called for more efforts to understand the phenomenon better and address it on the American continent.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations, Mr. Mariano Javier Lopez Ferrucci said an analysis of the current situation on the nexus in the region was important for Argentina. He described the report as a significant contribution to the efforts needed to develop comprehensive and coordinated responses to combat this threat in the region.
Leif Villadsen, Acting Director of UNICRI stressed the need for greater cooperation and a comprehensive approach to address manifestations of the nexus.
“Time and time again we find that information is not shared, and key actors work in silos. More cooperation at the national and regional levels is critical if we want to dismantle the Nexus in Latin America and beyond,” he said, adding that UNICRI supports Member States, on request, in their efforts to prevent and counter the nexus.
The report is aligned with UNICRI’s strategic priority to prevent and counter transnational security threats, terrorism, and points of nexus.
The research demonstrates the complexity and dynamism of the nexus, presenting, through examples from case studies, its distinct characteristics in the Latin American region, and how these links interact with other regions.
Some of the links between terrorism and organized crime can be seen in illicit activities such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and money laundering, which finance and facilitate terrorist activities. In addition, criminal organizations are increasingly adopting terrorist tactics for economic gain.
UNICRI has been working to address this Nexus since 2015, in line with Security Council resolution 2195 (2014).
Video by Odhran McCarthy
