IACIPP responds to UN Security Council call to protect ‘critical infrastructure’ from terrorist attacks
In February this year UN Security Council urged joint measures to protect ‘critical infrastructure’ from terrorist attacks
Given the importance of critical infrastructure for a country’s prosperity and security and against the backdrop of increasingly diverse physical and cyber threats from terrorist groups, the United Nations Security Council underlined the need for international collaboration – both domestically and across borders – to ensure their protection.
In a resolution adopted unanimously the 15-member Security Council reiterated “the need to strengthen efforts to improve security and protection of particularly vulnerable targets, such as infrastructure and public places.”
Attacks against objects and sectors such as air, maritime and rail transportation, banking and finance, telecommunications, emergency services, and energy and water supply – perceived as ‘attractive targets’ for terrorist groups – can result not only in civilian casualties, but also damage property on a large scale, disrupt proper functioning of public services, and create chaos in societies.
It called upon UN Member States “to share information […] to prevent, protect, mitigate, investigate, respond to and recover from damage from terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure facilities, including through joint training, and use or establishment of relevant communication or emergency warning networks.”
In response to this call to action the International Association of Critical Infrastructure Protection Professionals (IACIPP) has today announced the launch of the www.IACIPP.net a global extranet designed for critical infrastructure professionals to share information with other members, keep up-to-date with the latest threats, best practise, training opportunities and much more.
Chairman of the IACIPP John Donlon QPM, FSI said “We fully endorse the UN resolution and we have already been working hard to do our part to make that aspiration a reality. The extranet is now live and operational for members. The association is open to all CIP professionals including operator site managers, security officers as well as first responders, government agency officials, officers and policy makers. Membership of the association is still free and we encourage colleagues around the world to join us.”
He went on to say: “We look forward to welcoming new members and will be demonstrating the www.IACIPP.net platform for the first time at the Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience, Europe conference and expo in The Hague from the 9th to 11th May 2017, where CIP professionals from across Europe and beyond will gather once again to discuss the burning issues.”

Bill Bailey is currently a security management consultant working in the oil and gas industry predominately in Papua New Guinea. Bill also remains an Adjunct Senior Lecturer with Edith Cowan University, Security Research Centre, Perth, Australia after having taught in the Security Science Department, specialising in: counter insurgency, terrorism and countering terrorism, critical infrastructure protection, security management, physical security, security, health and safety, business continuity, strategic risk and emergency management.
Frédéric Petit is a Research Scientist specialising in critical infrastructure interdependencies and resilience at Argonne National Laboratory. Dr. Petit leads the development of methodologies for the assessment of preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, and overall resilience capabilities of facilities, communities, and regions. He also lends his expertise to work on risk, vulnerability and threat analysis of critical infrastructure. Dr. Petit received his PhD from the École Polytechnique de Montreal in Civil Engineering focusing on vulnerability analysis techniques for critical infrastructure and dependencies on cybernetics. After an initial formation in earth sciences and civil engineering, Dr. Petit has specialized in risk management and business continuity since 2002. Dr. Petit is member of various program committees for conferences such as the Symposium on Risk Management and Cyber-Informatics (RMCI) and the Critical Infrastructure Symposium (CIS)..
Ayhan was formerly a researcher for the Center on Foreign Policy and Security in Hazar Strategy Institute (HASEN); Coordinator CIPALERT(Critical Infrastructure Protection Alert) Platform