The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) hosted a side-event entitled Building More Effective and Resilient Law Enforcement Responses to New Technologies in Countering Terrorism: The CT TECH initiative on the margins of the Counter-Terrorism Week to launch six new publications on countering the use of new technologies for terrorist purposes. The event was co-organized with INTERPOL and the European Union (EU), in collaboration with Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).
In his welcoming remarks, Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General and Director of UNOCT, Mr. Raffi Gregorian, highlighted that “UNOCT in collaboration with Global Counter-Terrorism Co-ordination Compact entities will continue to support Member States in formulating innovative counter-terrorism approaches, recognizing the need to understand, anticipate, and effectively respond to terrorist exploitation of new technologies, while meaningfully safeguarding human rights. “
Mr. Greg Hinds, Counter-Terrorism Director at INTERPOL emphasized that “The combined efforts of global law enforcement, along with our partners is crucial to combat the threats faced by new and emerging technologies. Project CT-TECH plays a key role in supporting law enforcement in these efforts and in making it a safer world.”
The EU representative, Ms. Maria Rosa Sabbattelli, Head of Unit of the Global and Transregional Threats and Challenges in European Commission’s Foreign Policy Instruments Service, emphasized that “One element of the EU’s response is provided by the global Counter Terrorism facilities, supported by FPI, which are dedicated to building capacity and strengthening international cooperation to defeat terrorism. CT facilities are available to support the implementation of CT priorities agreed through EU political dialogues on security and counter-terrorism with Partner Countries and to enhance the capacities of Partner Countries to address terrorism from a rule of law perspective. CT TECH is an example of our longstanding good partnership with the UN and with INTERPOL.”
Mr. David Scharia, Chief of Counter-Terrorism at CTED, emphasized that “Member States need to conduct regular risk assessments and re-assess their counter-terrorism strategies, regulations and practical measures to ensure they keep pace with and incorporate relevant technological advances and related issues like data protection and privacy.”
The side-event was attended by over 114 representatives from Member States, international and regional organizations, Global Counter-Terrorism Compact entities, civil society, academia, and the private sector.
The experts discussed knowledge-based approaches to counter the terrorist use of new technologies while respecting human rights and the rule of law.
The CT TECH initiative was launched in 2022 as a joint UNOCT/UNCCT and INTERPOL undertaking, implemented under UNOCT/UNCCT Global Counter-Terrorism Programme on Cybersecurity and New Technologies and funded by the European Union. It aims to strengthen the capacities of law enforcement and criminal justice authorities to counter the exploitation of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, as well as support the leveraging of new and emerging technologies in the fight against terrorism.
Read more at UN Office of Counter-terrorism
