UN Counter Terror body’s special meeting in India to kick off with tribute to victims of 26/11

The Special Meeting will have three areas of focus according to the UN Counter Terrorism Committee. Discussions will centre around “(a) the Internet and social media, (b) terrorism financing, and (c) unmanned aerial systems (UAS)”, according to the UN CTC website. Terrorism financing will also look at emerging technologies like cryptocurrencies while drone technologies will also be discussed. 

The meeting will be attended by several global leaders. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly as well as foreign ministers from the UAE, Ghana, Albania among others. The UN Secretary General for Counter-Terrorism will also be in attendance. On the 28th, the Special Meeting will get off to a soft start at Mumbai where a ceremony will be held to honour the victims of the 26/11 attacks. This will be followed by a full day’s meetings on October 29th in New Delhi. The meetings will involve participation from government officials, multilateral organisations, think tanks and independent experts. 

According to David Scharia of the UN CTC, the meetings will seek to mitigate risks from emerging technologies while preserving the benefits brought by the internet and other emerging technologies to society. According to Scharia, “we cannot think of a better place to hold this meeting than in India”. India, he saids, because of its status as the world’s largest democracy and as a technological powerhouse. Further, Scharia added, India’s “long and tragic experience with terrorism” made it the right place to host the meetings.

Discussion also revolved around Pakistan being removed from the FATF Grey List and holds placed on the blacklisting of certain terrorists by China at the United Nations. Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, suggested that multilateral listing procedures at bodies like the UN had become “outdated “. He took exception to countries, presumably China, utilising technicalities to obstruct the listing of terrorists to assist strategic partners like Pakistan. 

“Until we see an overhaul in the multilateral process in the Security Council or the larger UN system”, said Verma, “we will continue to face these challenges”. 

“The working methods and regulations reflect the world of 1945. We have moved on and arrangements and processes should reflect the reality of the 21st century.”, said Verma. 

David Scharia and India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kambhoj acknowledged the world is yet to be done. The meetings, both argued, were the beginning of a long process of discussion and action. They should not, in Scharia’s view, be seen as a “silver bullet” to the problems posed by terrorism.