Security Council
Open debate on
"SECURING BORDERS AGAINST ILLICIT FLOWS"
Madam President,
My delegation welcomes the opportunity to address the Security Council. We also wish to thank you for convening this timely and important debate on the threat to international peace and security that arise from illicit flows across unsecured borders.
In several decisions, this Council has urged States to take measures and to cooperate in defending their borders against trafficking in illegal drugs, weapons, persons, movement of terrorists and their financial assets and other threats to state sovereignty. Since these threats are often interlinked, a holistic approach seems to be the most appropriate to develop adequate responses at the national, regional and international levels. This holistic approach should not and cannot ignore the unique features that characterize certain threats. Nor do these threats always go hand in hand. For example, while terrorism is often financed by other criminal activities, in other crimes terrorism is not necessarily part of the equation.
Madame President,
It is necessary to acknowledge that border control is the primary responsibility of each State, through the coordinated action of the different agencies with jurisdiction in the matter. Nevertheless, Argentina considers that it is fundamental to continue strengthening the cooperation mechanisms between neighboring countries so that control can be ensured through the adoption of legislation and the building of national capacities to identify possible solutions to the challenges regarding borders.
At the national level, in late 2010 the Ministry of Security was created with the objective of strengthening security and prevention mechanisms, with specific and exclusive jurisdiction in the prevention and the fight against terrorism as well as against transnational organized crime; unifying under its command the Coast Guard, the Border Police, the Airport Security Agency and the Federal Police.
At the regional level, Argentina cooperates closely with MERCOSUR Member and Associate Member States through the harmonization of national legislation on the control of firearms, ammunition and explosives and policy coordination in the field. It also cooperates with the other countries of the region to strengthen their national capabilities to enable full implementation of Resolution 1540 (2004). Cooperation is also carried out with the security forces of neighboring countries, instrumentalized through bilateral agreements of cooperation between the gendarmeries and coast guards and the development of integrated information systems such as the one being developed with Brazil (with the financial support of the European Union) on trafficking in persons, to be implemented in 2012. In the Tri-Border area a Tripartite Command operates since 1996 -composed of police and security forces of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay- which plays an important role with regards to actions in the fight against arms and ammunition trafficking, smuggling –in all its forms-, as well as drug trafficking, kidnapping, money laundering and illegal trafficking in persons. It permanently monitors data on the activities of international terrorism and related crimes.
At Argentina’s initiative, the Meeting of Ministers of the Interior of MERCOSUR is considering a draft “Guide for early detection of situations of trafficking in persons in the border checkpoints of MERCOSUR and its Associate Countries” which will enhance prevention activities as well as the capabilities of the immigration authorities of the countries in the region to detect in time cases of trafficking in persons.
These initiatives demonstrate the early awareness on the part of Argentina and its associates of the Southern Cone regarding the need for greater cooperation and coordination to secure their borders and defend themselves against illicit flows.
Madame President,
While strengthening border security is essential to effectively combat illicit flows, we understand that under certain conditions lower levels of development of one or more countries can provide an appropriate framework to non-traditional threats to peace and security, such as terrorism, illicit arms trafficking, drug trafficking and transnational organized crime, among others, as has become evident in the Sahel. It is clear to everyone that it is not the task of the Council to assume tasks of other structures, such as the General Assembly, ECOSOC, or UNODC. The heart of the matter is rather to reflect on how the Council should consider development issues in its decisions regarding peace and security.
Also, border security should not be at the expense of -or used as an excuse to- impede or prevent the exercise of basic human rights such as migrants’ rights. We do not believe that safety should come at the expense of the rule of law, nor do we accept the idea that human rights violations should be permissible under certain circumstances.
Madame President,
Argentina awaits the assessment of the Secretary-General on the work of the United Nations to help states to secure their borders against illicit flows and the convening of an open and transparent dialogue among the whole membership to discuss their findings and to continue analyzing the issue.
Thank you very much.
Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations