At the 81st session of the UN General Assembly First Committee, Australia, France, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNIDIR will convene a side event on the evolving threat posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). IEDs continue to pose a grave threat to civilians, humanitarian personnel and security forces, including through their use in populated areas.
The 2026 report of the Secretary-General on Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices highlights the increasing integration of IEDs with commercially available uncrewed aerial systems. The event will examine current and emerging trends in the IED threat and discuss mitigation measures, tools and resources to support efforts to prevent and counter IED threats.
It will also launch the UNIDIR counter-IED compendium, an online resource for voluntary knowledge-sharing on effective national measures and practical approaches. The discussion will bring together Member States, United Nations entities and non-governmental organizations to exchange views on preventing and mitigating IED threats.
Agenda
Welcome remarks
- Jennifer Cavenagh, Deputy Permanent Representative, Australian Delegation to the Conference on Disarmament
Opening remarks
- Ambassador Anne Lazar-Sury, Permanent Representative, French Delegation to the Conference on Disarmament
Panel
- Key observations and recommendations of the 2026 Secretary-General’s report on “Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices”
- Diane Sheinberg, Deputy Chief, Conventional Arms Branch, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs
- Mitigating IED threats: Evolving challenges and emerging measures
- Raymond Kemei, IED Threat Mitigation Advisory Team, United Nations Mine Action Service
- Strengthening knowledge-sharing on countering IED threats: The UNIDIR counter-IED compendium
- Hardy Giezendanner, Deputy Head, Conventional Weapons Programme, UNIDIR
Interactive discussion
Closing remarks
- Frederick Udobia, Minister Counsellor, Disarmament Affairs, Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva
When and where
Friday, 16 October 2026 | 13:15–14:30 EDT | In person (United Nations Headquarters, New York).
Participants
The event is open to Member State representatives, United Nations entities and non-governmental organizations.
Please note that participants joining us in person must have a valid visitor pass or long-term badge to enter United Nations Headquarters, as UNIDIR is unable to facilitate entry arrangements.
Further information
For any questions, please contact Hardy Giezendanner at giezendanner@un.org.
In partnership with
