OPENING REMARKS BY AGAFILI SHEM LEO, CEO, MINISTRY OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET FOR THE UN COUNTERING TERRORIST TRAVEL PROGRAMME
NATIONAL CONSULTATION ON ADVANCE PASSENGER INFORMATION AND PASSENGER NAME RECORD
25 JULY 2023, TAUMEASINA ISLAND RESORT, APIA, SAMOA
Mr Vugar Allahverdiyev and Mr. Motaz Al-Rebahbah;
Representatives from UN agencies and organisations;
Representatives from Government Ministries and Statutory Offices
Representatives from Airline Carriers;
Ladies and gentlemen;
Talofa Lava and warm greetings to you all. I am pleased to deliver these brief remarks on behalf of the Government to commence these national consultations on the UN Countering Terrorist Travel Programme on Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR). I extend a warm welcome to the UN Counter Terrorist Team Programme mission team that is here with us today from various UN agencies including representatives from UN Office of Counter Terrorism, UN Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate (UNCTED), UN Office of Drugs and Crime, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), UN Office of Information and Communication Technology (UNOICT), INTERPOL and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM.
The UN Counter Terrorist Travel Programme is an important global initiative that can assist member countries in building the necessary capabilities to detect and counter terrorists and transnational crimes. Samoa welcomes this national consultation to discuss ways it can assist in strengthening capacities of our national border agencies and partner airlines to use the Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record data to monitor and detect suspected terrorist movements and trends through enhanced information exchange. Equally important is having the ability of our national systems and databases to be able to plug into and support flow of API and PNR information.
By way of context, we had first received a mission from the UNCTED in November 2022 which undertook consultation with our key agencies and Ministries. The visit was conducted within the framework of the Committee’s efforts to monitor, facilitate and promote Member States’ implementation of particular Security Council resolutions, and to facilitate the provision of technical assistance aimed at enhancing their counter-terrorism capacities.
Following the preliminary assessment of the mission consultations by UNCTED, a key recommendation identified the need for technical assistance in the areas including: (i) incorporation of passenger data (API and PNR), and (ii) strengthening systems and capacities to handle information and communication technology (ICT) cross-border investigations. Consequently, Samoa expressed interest to be part of this programme in January this year.
While there is no recent history of terrorism in Samoa, global trends suggest that circumstances and dynamics can change rapidly and we should not be complacent. We need to continue to advance our border measures as persons of interest, including suspected terrorists are looking to take advantage of our small islands in the Pacific.
From a regional stance, the 2050 Blue Pacific strategy aims to enhance a region of peace and harmony, security and social inclusion and Samoa continues to engage with our partners and neighbours by collaborating to have more flexible and responsive regional security systems that acknowledge the breadth of issues impacting peace and security in our region, as well as the contribution the region makes in international fora to progressing global peace and security.
Nationally, we recognize the need to have in place, systems and mechanisms to better coordinate our work and responses to all security threats through our National Security Committee and implementation of Samoa’s National Security Policy. We realise that there continues to be an array of new security issues that emerge from time to time and so we must continue to review our national policies and strengthen our legislation to . We are currently undergoing a review of our National Security Policy which recognizes terrorism as a global issue reaffirmed by our support of UN Security Resolutions 2396 and that countering this particular threat requires a collective, whole of government approach in Samoa.
I look forward to a productive engagement over the next 3 days to advance the implementation of this important initiative in Samoa and the roadmap that will guide the next steps. I encourage our national agencies to take part as many of you know, we will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa in 2024 and the successful delivery of this programme will no doubt assist in our preparations.
God bless, soifua.
