The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) has published the report "The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on terrorism, counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism”, which provides an overview of the potential long-term consequences of the pandemic, as well as key regional and thematic trends based on the ongoing dialogue of the CTED with Member States.

The December 2021 report concludes the series by summarizing the CTED analysis to date, noting that the pandemic has exacerbated many pre-existing problems and challenges that shape the terrorist threat landscape. Terrorists and violent extremists seek to exploit the sociocultural constraints associated with the pandemic, including their efforts to recruit, radicalize and organize through virtual platforms. In cases where pandemic-related restrictions have artificially and temporarily suppressed the threat of terrorism, their weakening may lead to an increase in terrorist violence.

The pandemic has not only exposed social inequalities and structural problems, but has also opened up opportunities for terrorists and their accomplices to exploit these inequalities and problems. The report concludes that the counter-terrorism community should strive to counter the threats of terrorism and violent extremism in the post-pandemic world based on the principles of cooperation, shared responsibility and strengthening multilateralism.