Cook Islands Imposes Financial Sanctions on Terrorist Entities to Protect Nation and Citizens

The Cook Islands Government has taken a proactive step in preventing the country from being used as a source or target of terrorist activities by imposing targeted financial sanctions on designated entities. This move is aligned with the international campaign against terrorism and aims to curb the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

Countering Terrorism and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Act 2004

Under this act, the Attorney General is responsible for coordinating requests to the Prime Minister for designation as a terrorist entity. Once designated, the assets of the entity are frozen, and it becomes a criminal offence to participate in or support its activities.

United Nations’ International Counter-Terrorism Obligations

The Cook Islands has committed to several Security Council Resolutions, including:

• UNSC 1267/1989/2253 and 1988 Committees: The country is required to take action against terrorist entities listed by these committees, which include groups such as ISIL (Daesh), Al-Qaida, and the Taliban.
• UNSC Resolution 1373: The Cook Islands has an obligation to prevent the financing of, participation in, and recruitment to, terrorist entities under this resolution. Although there is currently no list of designated entities associated with this resolution, the country remains committed to identifying and taking action against such groups.

Measures to Comply with UNSC Resolution 1718

The Cook Islands has also implemented measures to comply with UNSC Resolution 1718, which aims to prevent the supply, sale, or transfer of arms and related material to North Korea. The country is required to prevent the direct or indirect provision of such goods through its territories or by its nationals.

Consolidated List of Designated Entities

A consolidated list of individuals and entities subject to financial sanctions can be found on the Cook Islands Government’s website. Any individual or group listed by the United Nations may apply to remove their name from the list, and requests can be submitted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration or directly to the Office of the Ombudsperson.

Significance of the Move

The imposition of financial sanctions on terrorist entities is seen as a significant step in protecting the country and its citizens from the threat of terrorism. The Cook Islands Government remains committed to fulfilling its international obligations and working with other nations to prevent the spread of terrorist activities.