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As part of the United Nations Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Threats against Vulnerable Targets, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism organized a three-day workshop in Cotonou, Benin, from 10-12 March 2025. The event was coordinated in collaboration with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).

Following in-depth consultations in September 2024, the event aimed to launch Benin’s Roadmap for countering terrorist threats against vulnerable targets and provide introductory capacity-building on the protection of critical infrastructure and public spaces. The workshop brought together officials from key Beninese ministries and agencies, including police forces dealing with cyber security and IEDs, the Ministry of Interior and Public Security, alongside international experts from the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre, INTERPOL, and ICAO.

Presentations covered the Roadmap development process, objectives, and key priorities. Experts discussed regional trends and challenges, including the evolving tactics of terrorist groups and their impact on critical infrastructure and public spaces. A session led by the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre provided an overview of regional approaches to countering terrorism, while INTERPOL shared expertise on law enforcement strategies for mitigating threats to vulnerable targets. Representatives from Benin’s national security services discussed specific threats faced by the country and efforts to improve resilience.

The workshop also provided opportunities to discuss the protection of specific types of critical infrastructure and “soft” targets. UNOCT presented international good practices on critical infrastructure protection, while experts from the Organization of American States-CICTE examined cybersecurity risks and the INTERPOL's I-24/7 and Illicit Arms Registration and Tracing Management System (iARMS). Participants engaged in discussions on risk assessment methodologies and their integration into national security planning.

Finally, the workshop covered the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors in protecting vulnerable targets. Experts from UNICRI led discussions on public-private partnerships, while INTERPOL, CTED, and UNOCT presented case studies and strategies for optimising inter-agency coordination in response to terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure. Focusing on Benin’s specific priorities, UNOCT led a session on the protection of offshore platforms, examining the unique challenges of securing maritime infrastructure in this context.

Generously funded by France, this workshop reaffirmed Benin’s commitment to strengthening its security framework in alignment with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2341 (2017) and 2396 (2017), as well as the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.