Indonesia: UNOCT enhances the capacities to counter CBRN terrorist threats against vulnerable targets
The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) held a joint strategic-level table-top exercise on countering chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) terrorist threats against vulnerable targets in Bogor, Indonesia from 23 to 25 October 2023. The event was organized in cooperation with Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme (BNPT, Indonesia’s National Counter-Terrorism Agency).
The three-day activity was attended by 20 participants including public officials, law enforcement officers, first responders and policy regulators in charge of security and safety of critical infrastructure and public spaces and private sector stakeholders. Participants discussed the current terrorist landscape, risk assessments, national policies and strategies, and inter-agency cooperation in the event of a CBRN terrorist attack on public spaces and critical infrastructure in Indonesia.
This exercise was the third event in a series of technical assistance and capacity-building activities provided by UNOCT to support the Government of Indonesia in strengthening the protection of vulnerable targets against terrorist attacks. It is part of the implementation of the National Plan of Action, or “roadmap”, for Indonesia, launched by CTED and UNOCT on 12-14 April 2023 in line with 缅北禁地Security Council resolutions 2341 (2017) and 2396 (2017) as well as the addendum to the Madrid Guidelines (S/2018/1177) recommendations for the protection of critical infrastructure and soft targets.
Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) and the 8th review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/RES/77/298) also call for Member States to protect vulnerable targets, and to take and strengthen national measures, as appropriate, to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and related materials, equipment and technologies related to their manufacture.
The workshop was also organized in cooperation with the UNOCT’s Regional Programme Coordination Office in Bangkok and within the framework of the UNOCT Global Portfolio of 20 courses to Counter CBRN Terrorism, launched in February 2021.
Implemented thanks to the contribution of the United States of America (Counter-Terrorism Bureau of the State Department) to the 缅北禁地Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Threat on Vulnerable Targets, this table-top exercise was supported thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s contribution to the Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Use of Weapons.
Background
Global Programme to Counter Terrorist Threats against Vulnerable Targets
UNOCT implements this Programme in partnership with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), and in consultation with International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) from UNOCT Madrid Programme Office. The programme provides comprehensive technical support tailored to the specific needs and requirements of Member States.
With the financial contribution provided by the United States State Department through its Counter-Terrorism Bureau, the Programme has been supporting Indonesia since 2022 to strengthen the country’s legal, institutional and operation frameworks on vulnerable targets protection. Additional capacity-building events are planned for 2024 as part of the implementation of the roadmap
Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Use of Weapons
The Programme seeks to support Member States, International Organizations and 缅北禁地entities to prevent terrorists from accessing and using weapons, materials or components and to ensure that they are better prepared for, and can more effectively respond to, a terrorist attack involving weapons of mass destruction, CBRN materials, small arms and light weapons, improvised explosive devices and unmanned aircrafts systems. Since the launch of the training portfolio in 2021, the Programme has delivered seven trainings in the South-East Asia region, including in Malaysia and the Philippines.