On the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the Security Council has called for a shift in strategies to combat terrorists who utilize emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones, and satellites. A press statement adopted unanimously on Friday declared, “The Security Council reiterated its resolve to combat terrorism, which poses a serious threat to international peace and security.” The statement added, “The terrorist threat is evolving, and the Council must adapt its response and establish an effective system to counter the use of new technologies—such as drones, satellites, social media, and artificial intelligence—by terrorists.” The Council, often divided by power struggles, displayed a rare moment of unity during the meeting convened by France. The session was held to discuss terrorist threats to international peace, specifically recalling the 2001 attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda (designated as a terrorist organization by the Council). The 15 members observed a minute of silence in honor of the victims of the attacks on the United States. The most devastating of these was the attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, which claimed the lives of approximately 3,000 people. US Permanent Representative Mike Waltz noted that every nation on the Council has been affected by terrorism, adding, “And perhaps that is why, in a Council that often disagrees on almost everything, condemning terrorism sometimes seems to be one of the few things we all do together and unanimously.”
