Topic:
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Micaela Story
As violence continues around the world weapon technology develops, the age- old threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) remains prominent. IED attacks kill thousands of civilians each year and are second in all-around weapons fatalities only to firearms. By nature, IEDs can be made from roadside debris or sophisticated bomb technology. Although IEDs are made from a variety of materials, their strength frequently unravels infrastructure and promotes terror. Considering the fact that IED’s are developed outside government oversight and are easy to create, the criminal network of development and distribution they travel through is extensive and difficult to track. The ever growing presence of the digital world only aids the distribution of knowledge and access of IEDs, allowing the violence to spread like a wildfire. Not only do IEDs restrict the development of countries, they also impede humanitarian aid. Overall, worldwide policy and cooperation surrounding the effects of IEDs is considerably lacking, with only a few countries having administered independent base guidelines.
The U.K. has made a modest effort to fight back against IEDs. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has even gone as far as offering a $1.9 million reward for companies willing to successfully develop an invisible shield technology. To spread awareness about IEDs and encourage safety, the National Counterterrorism Security Office has published information regarding the definition, examples, effects, and technology of IEDs. They have also posted recommended security guidelines and measures to take to protect against IEDs. The U.K. has also created an Allied Joint Doctrine going into further detail about the responsibilities of its commanders and staff in countering IEDs. In addition, the U.K. spends millions a year and contributes lots of manpower into both domestic and international efforts to fight terrorism and reduce the risk of explosions in public areas.
The U.K. is highly invested in protecting the lives of its citizens and is keen to see international unity to promote the safety of the world. IEDs are an international issue, and the U.K. would like to see countries struggling with violence to impose further restrictions upon materials that IEDs can be made out of and will support any country ready to crack down on terrorism. The U.K. feels similarly to its allies in that strong international guidelines pertaining to public safety and strategies to neutralize the threats of IEDs need to be universally adopted. The U.K. would like to see preventative technologies discussed as well as measures to protect defense administration of independent nations in their technological endeavors. The U.K. is looking forward to working with its allies like the U.S. and Australia who have similar views and policy on the matter.
