The year 2021 marks the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001) and the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and thus provides an opportunity for the Committee and relevant stakeholders (notably the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate’s Global Research Network) to discuss and identify key trends, challenges and lessons learned from the last 20 years of counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism (CVE) in order to impact and shape the future policy response and multilateral actions.
In its resolution 2129 (2013), the Security Council directs the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) to identify emerging issues, trends and developments relating to the relevant Security Council resolutions on terrorism. In accordance with that resolution, and in order to strengthen its existing research and analysis capabilities, CTED launched the Global Research Network (GRN) in February 2015.
Currently consisting of over 100 leading research institutes and think tanks from across the world — including those regions most affected by terrorism — the GRN provides CTED with evidence-based research insights from diverse regional perspectives, with the aim of supporting the Committee’s efforts to promote Member States’ implementation of the relevant Council resolutions.
In its resolution 2395 (2017), the Council recognizes CTED’s relationships with relevant experts in, inter alia, academia and think tanks, and takes note of the value of their participation in briefings, workshops, and open meetings to support the Committee’s efforts to advance implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005) and 2178 (2014) and other relevant counter-terrorism resolutions, as well as to promote analysis of emerging threats, trends and developments. Council resolution 2395 (2017) also reiterates CTED’s essential role to identify emerging issues, trends and developments relating to the implementation of the relevant Council resolutions, and the importance of its work with relevant partners in this area, including through the GRN.
Since the second open meeting of the Committee with the GRN, held on 16 November 2017, and the adoption of resolution 2395 (2017), CTED’s engagement with the GRN has been further bolstered and directly reflected in its analytical publications, including its Trends Reports, Trends Alerts, and Analytical Briefs. Through this collaborative exchange of information and analysis, the Committee and CTED are able to keep abreast of emerging terrorism trends, developments and challenges, as well as effective approaches to address them.
The purpose of the Committee’s third open meeting with the GRN is to provide the Committee and Member States with an overview of the most recent and most relevant research into key emerging issues, trends and developments in the context of the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the “9/11” terrorist attacks, the adoption of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), and the establishment of the Committee. GRN entities will share forward-looking perspectives on key thematic and regional challenges, rooted in an analysis of the evolution of the terrorist threat and counter-terrorism responses over the past two decades.
The open meeting will provide an opportunity to address the current gaps between research and policy in addressing existing and emerging trends, challenges and issues in the areas of terrorism, counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism with a view to ensuring human rights compliant, gender-sensitive, and whole-of-society approaches. Presentations by representatives of GRN member entities will be followed by an interactive discussion between the panellists and relevant stakeholders.
The open meeting will be held in the Economic and Social Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York, with limited seating capacity for Committee members. Speakers from the GRN and CTED will join virtually, via Cisco Webex.
Member States, United Nations entities, and international and regional organizations wishing to participate in the open meeting are requested to contact the Committee Secretariat for instructions.
GRN member entities are requested to fill in the form available here in order to confirm their participation. Those unable to participate in the event may submit questions to the panellists via e-mail to cted-par@un.org until noon on 2 September 2021.
The open meeting will be streamed live on UN Web TV on Friday, 3 September 2021, from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. EDT.
The draft concept note is available here.
The draft agenda is available here.