United Nations/New York-(Mudassar Iqbal/News Desk)- The Permanent Mission of Pakistan, together with the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT), organized an event at the UN Headquarters today on “New and Emerging trends in terrorism.”
The event provided a platform for exchange of views from an array of varying perspectives presented by diplomats, UN policy experts, civil society, and counter terrorism experts from the private sector and academia during the panel discussions. The event was co-chaired by the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad and the Acting Under Secretary General of the UNOCT, Mr. Alexander Zouev. Opening remarks were delivered by the co-chairs. Mr. Rafi Shah, Chief, Policy, Knowledge Management and Coordination Branch, UNOCT, moderated the event.
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Panelists included the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Ambassador Fu Cong, Mr. Colin Smith, Coordinator for the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team at the UN, Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin KC (Hons), Member, UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria and former Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, Dr. Olajumoke Ayandele, Clinical Assistant Professor, New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, Ms. Krisztina Huszti-Orban, Human Rights and Gender Section, UNOCT, Mr. Michael Kugelman, Resident Senior Fellow for South Asia, Atlantic Council, Ms. Naureen Chowdhury Fink, Executive Director, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) and Ms. Mackenzie Rice, Principal Strategic Advisor, Christchurch Call Foundation.
During the opening remarks, Ambassador Ahmad gave an overview of the fast evolving threat landscape, xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion or belief, gaps in the global counter terrorism architecture and sanctions regimes, limitations for national governments to combat threats beyond national jurisdictions and challenges towards accountability of commercial social media platform providers and technology companies. He also gave an overview of regional perspectives and increasing use of modern means by terrorist groups to orchestrate terrorist attacks and shed light on the sacrifices made by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.
Acting USG Zouev emphasized that terrorism has become multipolar and sophisticated and advocated for preventive action to address the new and emerging threats such as AI that that are introducing new risks, including through encrypted services and digital assets. He highlighted the need to have such discussions as essential to draw attention to these trends that are shaping the contemporary terrorism environment that includes the digitization of terrorist activity and exploitation of these spaces.
Panel speakers highlighted the threats posed by modern information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as abuse of social media platforms, terrorist propaganda and disinformation, XRIRB, Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, use of virtual assets and digital wallets such as crypto currencies, the challenges they pose for national governments, particularly due to jurisdictional complexities in the cyberspace owing to the borderless nature of the internet and limited efficiency of traditional law enforcement and judicial cooperation and the need for adequate safeguards and enhanced global cooperation to address the new and emerging trends in terrorism in the fast evolving terrorism landscape around the world.
Speakers underscored the importance of addressing root causes of instability and terrorism and the need for taking preventive action in a timely manner.
Panelists emphasized upon the changing nature of the threat and rise of the far right and right-wing extremist ideologies, alongside the proliferation of hate speech, problems of definition and terrorist propaganda that has given fresh impetus to a rising wave of violent attacks around the world. In this regard, they stressed on the need to find solutions for the lawful removal of harmful content in collaboration with technology companies.
Discussions also focused on key global hotspots for terrorism, terrorism against communities living under occupation and the prevalent threat from terrorist groups based in Afghanistan such as the TTP, BLA and the Majeed Brigade, ETIM and ISIL-K and groups such as the JNIM operating in West Africa and the Sahel. The increasing use of modern tools for propaganda and terror financing through online networks was also highlighted.
This event was organized as part of Pakistan’s firm commitment to facilitate dialogue and foster discussions at multilateral platforms on finding practical ways to address the growing and evolving threat of terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, through a comprehensive approach at the national regional and global level. Counter terrorism is one of Pakistan’s key priorities during its present term as an elected member of the UN Security Council for the term 2025-26.
The convening of this event comes at a time when the UN General Assembly is in the process of negotiating the 9th review of the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy (GCTS).
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