High level engagement at UNSC on threat from new technologies used by terrorists: UN Counter-Terrorism body head

By Ayushi Agarwal
New Delhi [India], October 29 : The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is engaging at a very high level on the threat of new and emerging technologies used by terrorists, said David Scharia, Chief of Branch, UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) on Saturday.
The UN counter-terrorism body head told ANI that this level of engagement in itself is a huge accomplishment of this meeting hosted by India.
"What we are already seeing is UNSC engagement at a very high level on the issue of the threat of new and emerging technologies used by terrorists. That in itself is a huge accomplishment of this meeting," Scharia said after the special meeting of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee.
"The outcome document will lay out a very clear action plan for counter-terrorism community for next month and year, what activities they will take, what commitment they will make and how they will support with members states," he added.
UN Security Council members, including leading experts from the UN's operational partners and specialized agencies, come together in the national capital to discuss threats posed by the use of technologies for terrorist purposes.
Discussions at the Special Meeting looked at ways in which stakeholders can take coordinated global efforts to counter these threats and to deny tech to terror.
Addressing the UNSC's special meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the global threat of terrorism is growing and expanding, despite the UN Security Council's (UNSC) best efforts to combat the "gravest threat to humanity".
"Despite this, the threat of terrorism is only growing and expanding, particularly in Asia and Africa, as successive reports of 1267 sanctions committee monitoring reports have highlighted," he added.
Ruchira Kamboj, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Counter-Terrorism Committee Chair on Saturday said the main focus of this counter-terrorism meeting held in India was to discuss misuse and abuse of new and emerging technologies by terrorist groups.
Kamboj, in an interaction with ANI on the sidelines of the special meeting on counter-terrorism, said: "Main focus of this meeting is misuse or abuse of new and emerging technologies by terrorists, with a focus on information and communication technologies, financing of terror, and unmanned aerial systems including drones."
She told ANI that a Delhi declaration will be adopted by member countries to deal with terrorism.
"There will be a Delhi declaration that will encourage member states to work collaboratively and collectively to counter the menace of terrorism," she added.
India hosted a two-day anti-terrorism meeting of the UNSC that ended today. The conference, under New Delhi's chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), was held in Mumbai and New Delhi on October 28 and October 29, respectively.