The new report Advances in Science and Technology to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Terrorism was presented today during a side-event of the Counter-Terrorism Week at the United Nations. The Counter-Terrorism Week is a biennial gathering of Member States and international counter-terrorism partners.
The report is an output of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Working Group on Emerging Threats and Critical Infrastructure Protection project on Technology and Security: Enhancing Knowledge about Advances in Science and Technology to Combat WMD Terrorism, which is funded by UNOCT-UNCCT and co-implemented together with UNICRI. The Working Group promotes coordination and coherence in the work of the international organizations to support the efforts of Member States to address emerging terrorist threats, including those related to CBRN materials.
The report has been researched and developed by UNICRI’s Knowledge Center Security through Research, Technology and Innovation (SIRIO). Through SIRIO, UNICRI seeks to analyse and understand the global impact, opportunities and challenges of technological advancements, including in the areas of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), big data analytics, digital biology and biotechnology, nanotechnology, additive manufacturing – also known as 3D printing and decentralized technologies, such as blockchain.
The objective of the report is twofold: first, to understand possible risks associated with the malicious use of science and technology to develop and deploy WMD, and second, to identify scientific and technological solutions that can be used to fulfil United Nations Member States’ needs in terms of preventing and combatting WMD terrorism.
For more information please contact unicri.publicinfo@un.org
