OSCE and CTED launch updated Trends Report on protecting critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks

On 18 November, the OSCE and the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) launched a trends report update on Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructure against Terrorist Attacks, together with the Permanent Missions of the Kingdom of Norway and Republic of Kazakhstan to the UN in New York.

The updated report reviews developments since the 2017 adoption of the UN Security Council resolution 2341, which called on States to strengthen strategies for reducing risks to critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks.

It examines the current terrorist threat landscape—including the growing misuse of commercially available technologies such as unmanned aircraft systems—and highlights persistent challenges, emerging trends, and practices that have proven effective in safeguarding essential services. In the report, CTED and the OSCE propose several practical approaches that policymakers and critical infrastructure operators can take to respond to this dynamic field and safeguard their infrastructure.

Based on its long-standing work in this area, the OSCE contributed technical expertise to the publication. This work includes facilitating public–private partnerships between critical infrastructure owners, operators and government authorities, and offering them technical training to protect energy networks, transport systems, and other critical sites from terrorist attacks.

The report builds on the insights and good practices identified in a previous OSCE guide on physical security considerations for protecting critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks, released on 4 November.

The trends report was prepared with support from the OSCE’s Project PROTECT, which is funded by the United States of America and Germany, and can be found here.