One of the venues for the UNSC counter-terrorism meet is Mumbai’s Taj Hotel, which was targeted durin the 26/11 terror attacks. PTI
All eyes are on the crucial counter-terrorism meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to be held in Mumbai and Delhi on 28 October and 29 October. For the first time, India will host the special meeting of the UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee since the first such conclave was held in 2001.
The Permanent Representative of India to the UN serves as the Chair of the CTC for 2022, reports The Indian Express. It proposed hosting the meeting keeping in mind the government’s resolve on drawing up a coordinated global response to terrorism.
This is the first time in seven years that such a special meeting is held outside New York.What will be discussed at the meeting?
Foreign Ministry Secretary (West) Sanjay Verma said, “A special meeting of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) will be hosted in Mumbai and Delhi on October 28 and 29, 2022, respectively, on the overarching theme of ‘Countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes’.”
The inaugural session will be held in Mumbai and the deliberations for the second day will commence in New Delhi.
Also read: Drone incursions on rise: New form of cross-border terrorism
Which new technologies will be the focus?
At the two-day meeting, there will be an emphasis on the use of the internet, new payment systems, and drones by terrorists.
India’s envoy to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said that there would be discussions on “three significant technologies” used with the purpose of terrorism. “Number one, the internet, including social media, number two new payment technologies and fundraising methods and three unmanned aerial systems including troops.”
The meeting will also focus on identifying continuing challenges, sharing good practices in compliance with international human rights laws, industry action, public-private partnerships, and legislative, policy, and regulatory responses, reports News18.com.
What else is expected?
In Mumbai, the meeting will be held at the Hotel Taj Palace. The venue was picked for its symbolism as it was one of the targets of terrorist attacks in Mumbai on 26 November 2008. A wreath-laying ceremony will be held at the 26/11 memorial site followed by a minute’s silence for the 166 victims of the terror strikes in Mumbai, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
“The larger purpose of this unprecedented meeting in India of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in Mumbai will resonate with the rest of the world because in 2008, what happened was an attack on what would be the identity of India in the financial and commercial space,” Sanjay Verma, India’s Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said at a briefing on Wednesday.
“A city which reflects the best of India in terms of its economic development in recent years and the fact that the UNCTC has agreed to begin its deliberations in Mumbai is a message in itself,” he added.
At the meeting, victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and the 2016 Brussels bombings are expected to speak. It will be followed by an informal session on combating terror financing in the local and regional context, Kamboj said, according to The Indian Express.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be part of the session. Image courtesy: @DrSJaishankar/Twitter
Who will attend the meeting?
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be present at the meeting in both Mumbai and Delhi.
British foreign secretary James Cleverly, Jaishankar’s counterpart from Gabon, Shirley Ayorkar Botchwey, and foreign minister of Ghana Reem Ebrahim Al Hashimy are among those attending the meeting, officials said.
Why is the meeting a big deal for India?
The meeting will help in strengthing systems to ensure that plans by terrorists to use emerging technologies are thwarted.
David Scharia, head of the UN CTC executive directorate, said that the outcome document “will pave the way again, not for the solution, but for how we’re going to approach problems that are going to remain with us for many years”.
The result of the meeting will be a big part of India’s UNSC December Presidency Open Briefing on “Global counter-terrorism architecture: Principles and the way ahead”, which will be held in New York on 15 December.
Scharia said the CTC should decide, under Indian leadership, that it was time to act. “Over the last few months and in the coming few days, CTC members represented at a very high level, will discuss what the shape of our response will be like,” he said, adding that all agreed that for the response to be truly effective it must be global. “The members have therefore agreed to work collaboratively in tackling these issues despite many differences among and numerous other pressing global challenges.”
“We cannot think of a better place to hold this meeting than right here in India. Not just because it is the world’s largest democracy, but also because India is a society where a host of cultures and religions coexist and because India is an innovation and technology powerhouse. Sadly, India is also the right place to hold this meeting because of its own long and tragic experience with terrorism,” he added.
With inputs from agencies
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