Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

The presentation will demonstrate the current status of revenue generation by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also know as Da’esh. Since 2013 when the group gained significant territorial control in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic,ISIL has placed significant emphasis and used scarce resources on the systematic looting and smuggling of antiquities, despite having a varied revenue stream, including from hydrocarbon resources. In addition, the group demonstrated to other terrorist organizations that such activities present a viable income stream and therefore delivered a “proof of concept”. This presents new challenges for the counter terrorism financing efforts of the international community and requires significant multilevel political efforts to readjust international heritage protection and antiquities trade and control mechanisms to meet these challenges.

Using data provided by Member States, including data on looting as well as seizures by Member States and following intensive consultations with Member States, international organizations, key private sector stakeholders as well as academic institutions, the Monitoring Team analyzed the current structure of the antiquities market and existing international regulations and conventions governing this economic sector. Through this analysis, several challenges and potential improvements were identified. Subsequently, the Monitoring Team developed a range of recommendations for members of the United Nations Security Council suggesting concrete actions by Member States to further develop national and international control mechanisms. These recommendations were incorporated in United Nations Security Council resolution 2347 (2016), passed on 24 March 2017.

This new United Nations Security Council resolution outlines a range of actions that Member States should take to protect their cultural heritage, such as for example documenting their national cultural heritage. The resolution also calls upon Member States to take concrete steps “to prevent and counter the trafficking of cultural property, illegally appropriated and exported in the context of armed conflicts, notably by terrorist groups”. This is a first and crucial step of the international community in countering these new terrorism financing challenges. However, it will be of crucial importance to follow-up on these new provisions and work on the implementation of the steps highlighted in the resolution. To this effect, the United Nations Security Council requested the Secretary-General, with the support of UNODC, UNESCO and the Monitoring Team, as well as other relevant United Nations bodies, to submit a report on the implementation of the resolution before the end of 2017.