Countering the Threat Posed by Improvised Explosive Devices

A/RES/71/72No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 98mmCountering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices, published in 2016.

What other versions does this mandate have?

7 versions · 2015–2024

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/79/53

2024A/RES/79/53Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devicesLatestCompare with previous version
2022A/RES/77/64Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devicesCompare with previous version
2020A/RES/75/59Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devicesCompare with previous version
2018A/RES/73/67Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devicesCompare with previous version
2017A/RES/72/36Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devicesCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

5 topics

Counter-Terrorism Information Exchange International Cooperation Military Explosives Regional Security

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

1 report of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2018.

2018A/73/156Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices report of the Secretary-General

Identified automatically from the metadata in each report’s UN Digital Library catalogue record.

What does this mandate say?

24 operative paragraphs

Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General submitted pursuant to resolution 70/46, and takes note of the recommendations contained therein;

Recognizes that existing approaches in multilateral arms regulation, while valuable, do not fully address the issue of improvised explosive devices, and therefore strongly urges States to develop and implement, where appropriate, all national measures, including outreach and partnerships with relevant actors, including the private sector, necessary to promote awareness and vigilance among their nationals, persons subject to their jurisdiction and firms incorporated in their territory or subject to their jurisdiction that are involved in the production, sale, supply, purchase, transfer and/or storage of precursor components and materials that could be used to make improvised explosive devices;

Strongly encourages States, where appropriate, to develop and adopt their own national policy to counter improvised explosive devices that includes civilian-military cooperation, to strengthen their countermeasure capability, to prevent their territory from being used for terrorist purposes and to combat illegal armed groups, terrorists and other unauthorized recipients in their use of improvised explosive devices, while bearing in mind their obligations under applicable international law, and notes that the policy could include measures to support international and regional efforts to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate attacks using improvised explosive devices and their widespread consequences;

Stresses the need for States to take appropriate measures to strengthen the management of their national ammunition stockpiles to prevent the diversion of materials for making improvised explosive devices to illicit markets, illegal armed groups, terrorists and other unauthorized recipients, and encourages the application of the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines for the safer and more secure management of ammunition stockpiles, while also recognizing the importance of capacity-building in this regard;

Underlines that, for the issue of improvised explosive devices to be effectively addressed, it is essential to comprehend the importance of action needed at the local and community levels; through activities ranging from awareness-raising with local retailers and intelligence-gathering to establishing deradicalization programmes, Governments will need to engage continuously with local authorities and groups;

Encourages States to enhance, as appropriate, international and regional cooperation, including the sharing of information on good practices as appropriate and where relevant, in cooperation with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the World Customs Organization, in order to address the theft, diversion, loss and illicit use of materials for making improvised explosive devices, while ensuring the security of sensitive information that is shared;

Also encourages States to take measures to stem the transfer of knowledge of improvised explosive devices and their construction and use by illegal armed groups, terrorists and other unauthorized recipients, as well as the illicit acquisition of components over the Internet;

Further encourages States to participate, in accordance with their obligations and commitments, in the ongoing work on improvised explosive devices by the informal group of experts under the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices as amended on 3 May 1996 (Amended Protocol II)4 to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects;6

Encourages States to participate, as appropriate, in a comprehensive and coordinated community of action to counter improvised explosive devices in accordance with their respective international obligations and commitments, and to consider supporting the Programme Global Shield of the World Customs Organization, the proposal for a counter-improvised explosive device global alliance emanating from the inaugural International Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Leaders’ Forum, held in Canberra from 2 to 4 September 2015, and other multilateral and regional efforts;

Encourages States and international, regional and other organizations with relevant expertise and that are in a position to do so to render to interested States, upon their request, technical, financial and material assistance aimed at strengthening the capacity of such States to counter the threat of improvised explosive devices, including through assistance for developing good practices for the protection of civilians from attacks using improvised explosive devices, and to provide appropriate assistance to the victims of such attacks;

Encourages States to respond to the needs of today’s peacekeepers to operate in new threat environments involving improvised explosive devices, including by providing, in consultation with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the Secretariat, the appropriate training, capabilities, information and knowledge management and technology that is required to counter improvised explosive devices, and to ensure that adequate financial resources are allocated to meet such needs;

Recognizes that improvised explosive devices are used in terrorist activities, takes note of the work of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, and urges its further attention to the issue of improvised explosive devices in line with the mandates of its associated entities;

Urges Member States to comply fully with all relevant United Nations resolutions, including those related to preventing terrorist groups from using and accessing materials that can be used in the making of improvised explosive devices;

Encourages States and relevant international and regional organizations and non-governmental organizations to continue to build upon existing awareness and risk education campaigns regarding the urgent threat of improvised explosive devices;

Encourages States and relevant international and regional organizations to engage, as appropriate, business entities in discussions and initiatives on countering improvised explosive devices, including on issues such as accountability for dual-use components, improving the regulation of explosive precursors, where possible and as appropriate, strengthening security for the transport of explosives and at explosive facilities, as well as enhancing the vetting procedures for personnel with access to explosives, while avoiding undue restrictions on the legitimate use of and access to such materials;

Strongly encourages States to share information on a voluntary basis on the diversion of commercial-grade explosives and commercially available detonators to the illicit trade, and transfers to illegal armed groups, terrorists and other unauthorized recipients, through relevant channels including, but not limited to, the INTERPOL Chemical Anti-Smuggling Enforcement and Chemical Risk Identification and Mitigation programmes and the Programme Global Shield of the World Customs Organization;

Takes into account the existing initiatives at the international, regional and national levels to counter improvised explosive devices, and encourages the engagement by States in an open and inclusive dialogue on steps forward to harmonize diverse ongoing efforts;

Urges States in a position to do so to contribute funding to the diverse areas of work needed to effectively address the issue of improvised explosive devices, including research, clearance, ammunition stockpile management, preventing violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, awareness-raising, capacity-building, information management and victim assistance, through existing trust funds and arrangements, including those of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and the Office for Disarmament Affairs of the Secretariat, and the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action, or through regional or national programmes;

Requests the Office for Disarmament Affairs to establish, where feasible and in coordination with other relevant entities, an online hub providing impartial, authoritative information relevant to addressing the issue of improvised explosive devices in a comprehensive manner, thus facilitating access to existing initiatives, policies and tools presenting good practices, inside and outside the United Nations system, filling gaps where needed but avoiding duplication;

Encourages States in a position to do so to support the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, in consultation with relevant bodies of the United Nations system, in developing a voluntary self-assessment tool to assist States in identifying gaps and challenges in their national regulation and preparedness regarding improvised explosive devices;

Recognizes the important contribution of civil society to addressing the issue of improvised explosive devices, including in clearance, awareness-raising, risk education, victim assistance and preventing violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, in particular at the local and community levels;

Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its seventy-third session on the implementation of the present resolution, acknowledging and taking into account existing efforts and seeking the views of Member States;

Encourages States to hold open, informal consultations, where appropriate, in preparation for the seventy-second session of the General Assembly, focusing on matters of coordination between the various existing initiatives and approaches relating to improvised explosive devices within the United Nations system and beyond, with information provided by States, international and regional organizations, as well as experts from non-governmental organizations, on efforts to prevent, counter and mitigate the threat posed by improvised explosive devices, which could thus assist the Assembly in maintaining a comprehensive overview of relevant global activities;

Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-second session, under the item entitled “General and complete disarmament”, the sub-item entitled “Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices”.

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