While States are increasingly introducing security enhancements to protect critical infrastructure and soft targets, terrorists continue to seek ways to explore their vulnerabilities. In addition to more traditional modalities, terrorists are using more advanced methods of attack using new technologies, such as unmanned aircraft systems, against vulnerable targets.
Through its assessments, conducted on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, and dialogue with Member States, CTED promotes the implementation by States of comprehensive approaches to critical infrastructure and soft target protection, in accordance with Security Council resolutions 2341 (2017), 2396 (2017) and 2617 (2021), the Madrid Guiding Principles (S/2015/939) and the Addendum to the guiding principles on foreign terrorist fighters (2018) (S/2018/1177), the identification of key stakeholders, and adapting to terrorist threats as they evolve.
To help to deliver CTED’s mandate to facilitate technical assistance delivery in this field, CTED cooperates with United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) under the “Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Threats against Vulnerable Targets”, launched in 2021. Through the Programme, numerous concrete results have been achieved, including much-needed support for Member States to achieve a comprehensive approach to vulnerable target protection through implementation of measures covering legislative, regulatory, institutional, and operational and technical frameworks.
CTED’s role in the Programme is to lead the capacity consultation missions with the beneficiary States. Based on these consultations, the project team identifies priorities and needs and creates a road map or national plan of action to protect vulnerable targets. The road map is then submitted to the State for further action. The road maps can help any implementing partners or donor States to tailor their technical assistance activities. CTED also ensures that the consultations and road maps are founded on existing recommendations deriving from the assessment visits of the Counter-Terrorism Committee.
In 2024, CTED led the consultations with Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritania and Senegal. Throughout the year, CTED also engaged in a range of other Programme activities, including briefings of the Global Network of Experts on Vulnerable Targets Protection and contributing to knowledge products, such as the UNOCT Technical Guide on Protecting Critical Energy Infrastructure against Terrorist Attacks, launched in November 2024.
CTED has been a key contributor to The Protection of Critical Infrastructure against Terrorist Attacks: Compendium of Good Practices from its conception in 2018, including its most recent update in 2023, and the five thematic guides on protecting vulnerable targets against terrorist attacks launched in 2022.
During the Programme principals’ meeting in December 2024, Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of CTED Natalia Gherman said that “the Programme is truly a demonstration of close partnership, cooperation and coordination between UNOCT and CTED and the other Programme partners, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute and INTERPOL. Going forward, protection of vulnerable targets will remain a high priority in our agenda considering the high attractiveness of such targets to terrorists and evolving nature of the different threats that States are facing”. Reaffirming CTED’s commitment to the Programme, Ms. Gherman reiterated that CTED will continue to fulfil its role in leading the capacity consultations, delivering and launching the road maps and ensuring that the existing Counter-Terrorism Committee recommendations are integrated into the Programme design to better support the beneficiary States.