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  1. CT Tech Initiative supports national responses to counter the use of new technologies for terrorist purposes in the Philippines and Uzbekistan

CT Tech Initiative supports national responses to counter the use of new technologies for terrorist purposes in the Philippines and Uzbekistan

From 26 February to 7 March 2024, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, under its CT TECH initiative convened national workshops for the Philippines and Uzbekistan to strengthen national counter-terrorism policy and operational responses to counter the use of new technologies for terrorist purposes while protecting human rights. 

Government officials from judiciary, law enforcement, intelligence and security institutions, cybersecurity and academia attended the events in Manila and Tashkent. 

In both workshops, the participants focused on three of the 7 knowledge products developed during the first phase of CT TECH. They conducted exercises to design and measure the effectiveness of counter-terrorism policy responses in mitigating threats, while exploring ways to incorporate and mainstream human rights and gender equality considerations, basing the exercise on Conducting Terrorist Threat Assessment. Participants also played through scenarios for assessing and prioritizing terrorist threats and policy responses, applying guidelines promoted in Designing National Counter-terrorism Policy Responses to counter the Use of new Technologies for Terrorist Purposes. Finally, they utilized the model developed in Law Enforcement Capabilities Framework to discuss and identify gaps on law enforcement capabilities to use new technologies for countering terrorism across policy, legal and institutional pillars, including through a human rights and gender equality lens.

Two follow-up workshops will be conducted in the Philippines and Uzbekistan, in June 2024, to review and receive feedback on the progress made towards enhancing practices of conducting threat assessment and policies developed to counter the use of technology for terrorist purposes, and present the law enforcement capability self-assessment report, key findings, and recommendations jointly elaborated with participants.

Attorney Serme Ayuyao, Director for Legal Affairs, International Affairs and Special Concerns, Chief of Staff, Anti-Terrorism Council – Programme Management Center, who opened the workshop in Manila, stated "As we navigate the complexities of countering terrorism, particularly in the realm of new technologies, CT TECH initiative becomes indispensable in fortifying our national counter-terrorism policies and operational responses”. He underlined the opportunity for various designated agencies to collaborate for brainstorming exercises and strengthen their inter-agency cooperation.