Open briefing of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to present the proceedings and outcomes of the Committee’s Special Meeting on

Countering the use of new & emerging technologies for terrorist purposes

[2 December 2022, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.]

Opening remarks

by

H.E. Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj

Chair, Counter-Terrorism Committee

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants, 

It is my honour and pleasure to welcome you all to today’s open briefing in which we will present the proceedings and outcomes of the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Special Meeting on “Countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes”, hosted by Government of India in Mumbai and New Delhi on 28 and 29 December 2022.

It was the first convocation of a meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee away from headquarters since 2015 and was only the 7^th time the Committee has organised a special meeting outside of New York since its founding in 2001. 

The Special Meeting was motivated by the increasing threat posed by the use for terrorist purposes of three significant technologies — (1) the Internet and social media; (2) new payment technologies and fundraising methods; and (3) unmanned aerial systems, including drones (UAS).

While many meetings are held to review the state of affairs and work accomplished, this Special Meeting was organised with distinctly forward-learning intent.  Our discussions examined not only how terrorists currently exploit new technologies, but we also considered how the related terrorist threats are likely to evolve and grow as new technologies are developed and taken up by all kinds of users, whether for the benefit of society or for harmful purposes.

We also considered how we — as individual Member States, as stakeholders from the technical, academic, and civil society sectors, and as the broader international community — need to act today to ensure effective responses to countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes as we move further into the technical age.

As ever when discussing counter-terrorism, we also considered how these responses must unequivocally be undertaken in a manner that upholds our obligations to ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as enshrined in international law.

These considerations led to the outcome of the Special Meeting, the Delhi Declaration. This outcome document was unanimously agreed by all members of the Counter-Terrorism Committee at the conclusion of the Special Meeting. The Delhi Declaration reflects the resolve of the Committee members to continue its important and comprehensive efforts in these areas.

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants, 

Today’s open briefing will allow those attending in person — as well as everybody joining online — to get a better sense of the details of the proceedings and outcomes of the Special Meeting. Throughout this open briefing, we will certainly hear more about what was discussed and debated in India by the various experts who participated.

I would like to highlight the following three points about the Special Meeting:

Number one, the plight and suffering of victims of terrorism was vividly put on display during our tribute to the victims of terrorism, held at the 26/11 memorial in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai on 28 October. The victims accounts reminded us that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of motivations behind them and committed whenever, wherever and by whomsoever, inflicts huge human cost, pain, and cause destruction. 

Let our collective efforts to counter terrorism help ensuring that victims and survivors of terrorism are always heard and never forgotten. Ultimately, our work aims to preventing more victims in the future.

Number two, the Special Meeting was designed to reflect the principles of the United Nations in terms of geographical and gender representation.  

• Delegates from fifty-five (55) Member States attended the special meeting in person, representing every region of the United Nations’ membership.  
• Eleven (11) international and regional organizations attended, along with delegations from our United Nations partner offices, to include UNOCT, UNICRI, UNODC, UN Women, and the SG’s Tech Envoy’s Office.

• Forty percent (40%) of the invited guest speakers were women, including 3 Ministerial-level speakers, and seven of the eleven speakers in the thematic briefing on terrorist use of ICTs were women experts and practitioners.

• The Special Meeting was also designed for inclusivity, having been attended by thirty-two representatives from CTED’s Global Research Network and key civil society organizations, think tanks, representatives of tech corporations  as well as the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) and Tech Against Terrorism.

Number three, by agreeing to the Delhi Declaration, the Committee has pledged its continued dedication and commitment to its work to counter the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes. The Declaration is a pioneer document aimed at enhancing the Council’s approach to address this threat in a comprehensive and holistic manner. 

Among the listed items in the Declaration is the decision to work on recommendations on the three themes of the Special Meeting. We intend to finalize these recommendations in next 3 weeks. 

The Declaration also manifests Committee‘s intention to develop a set of non-binding guiding principles to further assist Member States in the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, while also reaffirming, inter alia, the importance of public-private partnerships, human rights, civil society engagement, and collaboration more broadly to address the host of challenges stemming from these and other areas of new and emerging technologies.

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants, 

Ultimately, it is the Committee’s wish and intention to assist Member States in effectively countering the threat posed by new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, including by compiling good practices on the opportunities offered by the same set of technologies to counter this threat, consistent with international law, including international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international refugee law, as applicable.

It is my hope that the Delhi Declaration will guide the work of this Committee and inform the efforts of the Security Council and the wider United Nations membership in this crucial area for years to come.

Thank you!

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