Mr. President,

On behalf of the Organization of American States, and the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security, I would like to congratulate Peru for assuming the Presidency of the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee and for convening this important meeting, which I’m pleased to attend in my capacity as Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE). Today's topic of discussion - exploring the linkages between transnational organized crime and terrorism, and finding ways of improving cooperation on this front between regional and international organizations - is highly relevant to our region of the world.

The OAS encompasses 35 countries total, as diverse in geography as in the security-related challenges we face, from localized criminal activity to sophisticated transnational criminal networks that traffic drugs, weapons, people, and illicit goods and materials both throughout the region, and to and from other parts of the world.

While the majority of our Member States have largely avoided the direct impact of groups like ISIL or Al Qaeda or their affiliates, it is widely understood that many of the vulnerabilities and gaps exploited by criminal organizations are equally susceptible to exploitation by terrorists. These gaps exist in physical security; at sea or in airports, or in public spaces frequented by tourists, for example. And, increasingly, there are gaps in digital or virtual security.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, we have found that the day-to-day security challenges posed by transnational organized criminal activity take greater precedent than the threat of an act of terrorism. But it's also widely understood, especially in the law enforcement and security communities, that a security gap that enables the movement of large quantities of drugs or other illicit items - over land, or by sea, or air - could also be used to move materials intended for a terrorist attack. Or that the routes and methods by which people are trafficked - or money is moved - could also enable the movement across borders of people planning to commit an act of terrorism, or the funding to finance one. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that some of the drivers of organized criminal and gang activity throughout the Americas -- including persistent poverty and social and political instability – share important parallels with the drivers of violent extremism that is conducive to terrorism.

Mr. President,

While the linkages between organized crime and terrorism in our region are numerous, today I will refer to just three:

The most common money laundering predicate offenses in the region are illicit drug trafficking, illicit trafficking in stolen goods, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings, corruption and bribery, and environmental crimes. All of these different forms of criminal activity constitute potential funding sources for terrorist organizations, and have fueled the emergence of an evolving and ever more sophisticated infrastructure for moving money. Certain geographical pockets throughout our Hemisphere are generating increasing concern about the profits from criminal activities being funneled to terrorist groups, namely Lebanese Hezbollah.

We are equally concerned with securing the movement of people and goods across borders, which is particularly challenging given the geography of the region. Land borders tend to be highly porous and exploited for trafficking and smuggling, and for allowing terrorists to enter territories largely undetected. The same is true of the vast waters of the Caribbean, which are extremely difficult to secure.

Countries in our Hemisphere require improved access controls and container inspection techniques at sea ports, increased capacities of border and migration personnel to identify travel document fraud, and increased information-sharing and analysis, including the use of API (Advanced Passenger Information) and PNR (Passenger Name Records), and tools like Interpol's Stolen and Lost Travel Document database. The importance of developing comprehensive border and identity management systems and strategies cannot be stressed enough.

Finally, we are all aware of the digital security vulnerabilities that transnational criminal groups are exploiting, often to great effect. These are often the same vulnerabilities that have made the Internet a strategic tool for the operations and financing of terrorist groups; including to recruit or train new members; to collect and transfer funds; to organize terrorist acts, or to spread propaganda and incite others to violence.

Mr. President,

Our region has made notable progress in addressing many of these issues, but much remains to be done. Whether we are working to reduce the threat of terrorism or increase capacities to combat organized crime, our region requires:

- more robust preventive and response capabilities, particularly among law enforcement and security agencies;
- updated laws and regulations that are fully implemented, particularly concerning ML/TF.
- increased information-sharing and cooperation between key agencies of the State – including border control authorities, customs officials and other national law enforcement agencies;
- enhanced investigative and prosecutorial capacity;
- increased ratification and/or implementation of regional and international instruments, including the Inter-American Convention against Terrorism; the Palermo Convention and its three Protocols, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

In closing, Mr. President,

Those of us in regional and international organizations working on these issues have a key part to play supporting States as they try to better understand and manage evolving security challenges. This is especially true where there are overlapping and interconnected threats posed by transnational crime and terrorism. How can we, collectively, work together to better increase and improve information-sharing and cooperation across borders, or increase human and technical capabilities, or update legal and policy frameworks? How can we coordinate our efforts in a way that better serves our Member States, and the ultimate objective of reducing criminal and terrorist activities? These are questions we will continue to ask within in the scope of the OAS and we look forward to sharing and discussing our findings with other regional and international partners. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this important conversation.