ICT4Peace and CTED continue to work on countering online presence of terrorist organizations

BMUSONI — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:18:00 +0000

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How can the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), including the Internet and social media, for terrorist purposes be effectively countered? This is the focus of a public-private capacity building project, launched in 2016 and led by the Swiss foundation ICT4Peace and the 51�Թ� Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). In January and February 2017, ICT4Peace was invited by the UN in Geneva and New York, respectively, to share preliminary findings of the ongoing project.

On 31 January 2017 in Geneva, Adam Hadley from ICT4Peace presented interim recommendations from Phase 1 of the joint project. During the seminar “Violent extremism online – a challenge to peace and security,” Mr. Hadley emphasised the importance of building upon existing efforts in this area. To access the full presentation, please click here. Other speakers included Mark Stephens, Independent Chair of the Global Network Initiative; Ambassador Kok Jwee Foo, Permanent Mission of Singapore to Geneva; and Ms. Wedad al Hassen, Senior Program Associate, Hedayah.

Mr. Stauffacher with ICT4Peace briefing the Counter-Terrorism Committee on 23 February 2017.

On 23 February 2017, Ambassador (retired) Daniel Stauffacher, founder and President of ICT4Peace, provided an update to the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee in New York. According to the plan of action for 2017, efforts will concentrate on two of the 9 core recommendations from Phase 1 of the project, namely to (i) continue to strengthen dialogue on the emerging normative framework by means of multi-stakeholder engagement through the convening of a regular programme of global stakeholder workshops, and (ii) to establish a Global Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building Platform focused on emerging policies and effective practice.

Additional information from ICT4Peace is available here.

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CTED calls for increased research investment to identify emerging terrorist threats

BMUSONI — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 18:11:00 +0000

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Mr. Weixiong Chen, Deputy Executive Director, CTED.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) this week called for increased investment in research aimed at strengthening the UN’s capacity to identifying emerging terrorist threats.

Mr. Weixiong Chen, Deputy Executive Director, CTED.

“There is merit in close and enhanced partnerships with academia and think tanks on ‘deep-dive’ research into new and emerging threats. Investment needs to be doubled to bring the research community’s vast reservoir of wisdom into the policymaking process”, said Mr. Weixiong Chen, CTED Deputy Executive Director.

Mr. Chen was addressing around 90 UN agencies and research entities attending a round table on strengthening UN research uptake.

The event was held in Geneva on 25-26 April 2016, and was organized by the UN University and Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, in partnership with the UN Office in Geneva and Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

“To better implement the requirements of Security Council resolution 2129 (2013) and other relevant resolutions, we must cultivate and build confidence among Member States, UN agencies and the academic world”, Mr. Chen added.

The discussions focused on ways to identify UN knowledge gaps and research needs in key policy areas, adapt research design to this effect, and make better use of research outputs to strengthen evidence-based policy development.

Opening session of the event.

Mr. Chen called for a gradual approach in matching research entities with policymakers, but stressed the need for the UN to work with a broad range of research partners.

The UN must also ensure that it can quickly access timely, needs-based research to meet the rapidly evolving global peace and security landscape.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee launched its Global Counter-Terrorism Research Network in February 2015 and held an open briefing with its research partners in November 2015 to discuss ways to strengthen and share research into the foreign terrorist fighter threat.

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Security Council - Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) - geneva

ICT4Peace and CTED continue to work on countering online presence of terrorist organizations

img_6662_cropped.jpg

CTED calls for increased research investment to identify emerging terrorist threats

geneva_research_25_26_april_2016_2-e1462291669981.jpg