Opening of the United Nations International Expert…

This Expert Group Meeting will bring together representatives from Member States, local authorities, international, regional and subregional organizations, the private sector and civil society to raise awareness on and identify good practices to address the threat that the terrorist use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) represents against vulnerable targets—including 'soft targets' and critical infrastructure; and the opportunities that UAS technology offers to protect those same targets. The protection of human rights in this context will be a cross-cutting topic during the Meeting. This thematic event will take place within the framework of the Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Threats against Vulnerable Targets which UNOCT leads in close 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 INTERPOL. The Global Programmes on Unmanned Aircraft Systems and on Sports and Security, led by UNOCT, will also be partners to this Meeting.

Welcoming and Opening Remarks

Moderator: Mr. Mauro Miedico, Deputy Director and Chief Special Projects and Innovation
Branch (SPIB), UNOCT

• Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of UN Office of Counter-Terrorism
  (UNOCT)
• H.E. Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the
  United Nations