Launch event - Technical guidelines to facilitate the implementation of Security Council resolution 2370 (2017)
On 18 March 2022, the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) jointly launched the Technical guidelines to facilitate the implementation of Security Council resolution 2370 (2017).
The acquisition of weapons by terrorists is a threat central to the very modus operandi of terrorism. It is of critical importance to the international community’s response to prevent and combat this threat. The increasing diversion of small arms and light weapons to terrorists; the increasing use of improvised explosive devices; and the emerging issue of the use of unmanned aircraft systems by terrorists, are particularly concerning trends and developments – both old and new – that merit greater attention in the collective fight against terrorism.
To tackle this issue in a comprehensive manner, the United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2370 (2017) outlining concrete measures to be undertaken by Member States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this resolution, as well as other related international standards, the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Working Group on Border Management and Law Enforcement (BMLE WG) relating to Counter-Terrorism has developed technical guidelines.
The document was developed as part of a joint project implemented by CTED, UNCCT and UNIDIR under the framework of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact BMLE WG and funded by UNCCT.
Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov emphasized that "the guidelines ... seek to identify challenges and opportunities within and beyond existing frameworks, as well as initiatives to strengthen preventative, preparedness and response measures and approaches." In addition to Security Council resolution 2370 (2017), the document comprise of calls made in other relevant Security Council resolutions, such as 1373 (2001), 2395 (2017), 2462 (2019), 2482 (2019) and 2617 (2021), as well as the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its Seventh Review.
The guidelines aim to contribute to eliminating the supply of small arms and light weapons, unmanned aircraft systems and their components, and improvised explosive device components to those involved in terrorist acts. They are expected to form a basis for dialogue at different levels, including among regional and national stakeholders in their efforts to assess, develop, review, and refine regional and national measures to prevent terrorist acquisition of such weapons.
These technical guidelines can be downloaded from the websites of UNOCT, CTED and UNIDIR.
Further Information:
Preventing Terrorists from Acquiring Weapons – Technical Guidelines
