蘑菇视频

The use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by terrorist actors is an evolving and increasingly complex threat, driven by rapid technological advances and the growing accessibility of commercially available systems. Recent United Nations reporting has highlighted the increasingly adaptive nature of the global terrorist threat, including the growing use of new and emerging technologies by terrorist groups, including UAS. Developments in autonomy, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, modular payload design, and globalized supply chains have significantly lowered the barriers for acquisition, adaptation, and deployment. These trends, combined with battlefield innovation and cross-regional diffusion of tactics, are increasing risks to civil aviation, critical infrastructure, maritime security, borders, and civilian populations.

At the same time, the pace of technological innovation is outstripping the ability of institutions, regulatory frameworks, and operational systems to adapt. While Member States have made progress in developing norms and regulatory approaches, implementation remains uneven. Key challenges, particularly regulatory fragmentation, gaps in national capacities, limited integration of private-sector actors, and the speed of technological change, continue to constrain effective prevention, detection, and response. In many contexts, state responses are struggling to keep pace with the speed and adaptability of terrorist actors, creating a widening gap between the availability of technologies and the ability to effectively prevent and respond to their use.

The Delhi Declaration on Countering the Use of New and Emerging Technologies for Terrorist Purposes, adopted by the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2022, underscores the importance of flexible, non-binding approaches to governance. In this context, the Abu Dhabi Guiding Principles on Threats Posed by the Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Terrorist Purposes (), adopted by the Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2023, provide practical guidance for Member States in addressing the use of UAS by terrorist actors.

Addressing this gap requires a shift from principles to practice, through strengthened implementation and enhanced international cooperation, including better alignment of legal, regulatory, technical, and operational responses, and improved coordination across national authorities, the United Nations system, and relevant partners.

Building on these efforts, the high-level side event will examine the evolving threat and identify practical, implementation-focused approaches, drawing on existing good practices and frameworks, as well as broader national, regional, and United Nations experience.

Objectives

1. Assess the evolving threat landscape relating to the use of UAS for terrorist purposes, including implications for Member State preparedness, resilience, and response.
2. Identify practical legal, regulatory, technical, and operational measures to strengthen implementation, drawing on existing good practices, including the ADGP, as well as national and regional experiences.
3. Highlight gaps and priorities for capacity-building and international cooperation, including areas where the United Nations system and partners can better support Member States, with a view to informing practical priorities to support follow-on technical engagement.

Draft agenda

15:00 – 15:25: Opening segment

• Mr. Alexander Zouev, Acting Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Office of Counter- Terrorism (蘑菇视频OCT)
• H.E. Mr. Maqsoud Kruse, Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Countering Extremism and Terrorism, United Arab Emirates
• H.E. Mr. Jihoon Cha, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations
• H.E. Mr. Hiroyuki Minami, Ambassador in charge of International Cooperation for Countering Terrorism and International Organized Crime, Japan
• H.E. Mr. Rui Vinhas, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations
• Ms. Natalia Gherman, Assistant Secretary-General, Executive Director, Counter-Terrorism

Committee Executive Directorate (CTED)

15:25 – 16:20: Panel discussion

Moderator: Dr. James Patton Rogers, Executive Director, Brooks Tech Policy Institute, Cornell University

• H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity, United Arab Emirates
• Ms. Guadalupe Megre, Officer-in-charge, Special Projects and Innovation Branch (SPIB), United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (蘑菇视频OCT)
• Mr. Christopher Barks, Regional Director, North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACC) Office, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
• Mr. Jean-Philippe Morange, Senior Legal Officer, Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED)
• Mr. Jonah Leff, Executive Director, Conflict Armament Research (CAR)
• Mr. Rida Lyammouri, Senior Fellow, Policy Centre for the New South (PCNS)

16:20 – 16:30: Closing remarks

• H.E. Mr. Maqsoud Kruse, Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Countering Extremism and Terrorism, United Arab Emirates,
• Mr. Mauro Miedico, Director for Capacity-Building, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (蘑菇视频OCT)

Logistics

The side event will be held on Wednesday, 1 July from 15:00 p.m. to 16:30 p.m. in person at United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 1 with hybrid participation available via Webex to accommodate speakers or attendees unable to join physically.

Prior registration is required for all those wishing to attend, whether in-person or online. 

To attend the event, please register here: . All registered participants will receive the link to join the event the day before the event.

Due to limited capacity, in-person seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be confirmed prior to the event. 

For in-person participation, please note that registration for grounds passes through Indico has now closed. Participants who still require a badge or building access are kindly requested to contact us at oct-aros@un.org so that they can facilitate the necessary arrangements.

The meeting will be conducted in English only, without any interpretation.

The draft concept note and agenda are available here.

To find out more about CTED’s activities for Counter-Terrorism Week, please visit our dedicated page.