2007年VOA标准英语-UN, West African Countries Focus on Counterterr

The United Nations says West African nations are making a good start in fighting terrorism in the region. Victoria Cavaliere reports from VOA's New York bureau.

UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee

According to the Security Council's Counter Terrorism Committee, terrorists may try to exploit domestic and regional instability in West Africa in order to recruit new terrorists or stage attacks in the future.

Sergey Karev, the officer in charge of the Security Council's counterterrorism committee, says initial consultations² on the West African program went well.

"Yesterday's meeting was quite successful because we reached our goals," said Sergey Karev. "On one hand, we received information from West African countries on their technical assistance needs. On the other hand, donors³ and international organizations informed about their programs and ability of financial resources."

Karev says the regional approach to bolstering⁴ security is proving effective.

"For several years we were working on a bilateral⁵ basis, we were assisting states, not regions," he said. "After gaining some experience we realized that in addition to this we have to develop a regional approach. Just to mention for West Africa, and not exclusive to it, they have porous⁶ borders and they common problems in training and legislation drafting."

Donor countries and organizations are also providing West African nations with assistance in implementing⁷ counterterrorism programs and laws, training law enforcement personnel, and improving customs control and border security.

Karev says West Africa is the second regional counterterrorism program, after the Pacific Islands Forum⁸ Group. He says there are plans to expand the U.N. program to other regions in the future.

The 10 other West African participants are Burkina Faso, Cape⁹ Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.