Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism – Mr. Vladimir Voronkov asserted on multilateralism in United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism 2023 High-level International Symposium on Counter-Terrorism hosted by the Korean
National Police Agency 20 April 2023.
he said, Terrorism remains a pressing threat to international peace and security.
The linkages between terrorism and conflict, as well as the expansion of terrorism to parts of Africa remain significant concerns. According to the recently published 2023 Global Terrorism Index, the ten countries most impacted by terrorism are involved in armed conflicts.
Voronkov continued, terrorist groups such as Da’esh, Al-Qaida and their affiliates continue to adapt to new realities and exploit such vulnerabilities, despite leadership losses over the years.
The appalling humanitarian situation in the camps and detention facilities in Iraq and north-east Syria also presents conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, requiring urgent, decisive action.
Another key area of concern, that is most relevant and timely for today’s discussion, is the exploitation of new and emerging technologies by terrorist groups. While new scientific developments and emerging technologies are transforming our lives in positive ways, some of these technologies present significant potential for misuse by terrorists.
He added, For instance, terrorist use of uncrewed aircraft systems is increasing as drone technology is evolving rapidly and becoming widely available. Even more worrisome is that some of these systems can be used to deliver chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials. As we have already seen Da’esh do with chemical weapons, the prospect of non-state actors, including terrorists, acquiring, and using weapons of mass destruction is increasing, following the technological advancements, as well as the expansion of illegal and legal commercial channels.
At the end he said, To effectively address such diverse and complex terrorist threats from new and emerging technologies, we must strengthen multilateralism and international cooperation. We also must ensure that our collective response is sustainable, human rights-compliant and gender- responsive.
