HDI’s “U.N. To D.C.” Program: Executive Director of the U.N. Counter-Terrorism Directorate Ambassador Mike Smith Briefs Congressional Staffers July 11, 2008

 

July 14, 2008

The Humpty Dumpty Institute was pleased to organize a briefing for House and Senate staffers on July 11 by the U.N.’s leading advisor on counter-terrorism, Ambassador Mike Smith.   Ambassador Smith, who holds the rank of U.N. Assistant Secretary General, was formerly Australia’s Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism and also served as Australia’s Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.  Over sixty staffers from the House and Senate attended the two briefings.  Ambassador Smith explained how the United Nations could help build a world community view that terrorism is never acceptable.  He clearly explained how the United Nations could be in the forefront of the “battle of ideas” in which the United Nations could actively counter the ideological arguments of terrorist groups.

Ambassador Smith detailed how U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is taking the fight against terrorism worldwide and is engaging the people of Africa and the Middle East.  As part of the Secretary General’s global strategy against terrorism, he recently met highly respected religious authorities in the Islamic world to impress upon them their importance in fighting the terrorist threat.

The staffers asked well informed questions on ways the United Nations could do even more, especially in the area of sanctions and financial restrictions on groups suspected of supporting terrorism.  Ambassador Smith reviewed U.N. programs and goals in this area.  He also praised the United States for taking a lead in introducing resolutions in the United Nations which address this issue.

Ambassador Smith’s briefings clearly explained to the Congressional staffers how strongly the United Nations views the terrorist threat and how it is working tirelessly to defuse it.

To learn more about this program and HDI, please contact

jonathan.landesman@thehdi.org.

HDI’s “U.N. to D.C.” program is partially supported by the United Nations Foundation.