The European Union and the United Nations continue to work on preventing Acts of Nuclear Terrorism with the launch of a new project

The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) launched a new global project on promoting the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), which is jointly implemented with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and funded by the European Union (EU). The high-level launch event was held in New York on the margins of the First Committee of the General Assembly.

Entitled “Addressing the threat posed by nuclear terrorism to international peace and security: EU support to the UN for the universalization and effective implementation of the ICSANT,” the event provided an opportunity for participants to share their perspectives and lessons learned on promoting adherence to the Convention.

High-level representatives from UNOCT, the EU, UNODC and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) addressed the opening session.

Referring to the role of ICSANT as a tool to combat nuclear terrorism, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, United Nations Under-Secretary-General, said that “the threat is all too real, and we cannot afford to have radiological or nuclear materials fall into the hands of terrorists and other violent non-state actors.” “The Universal adherence to ICSANT is essential to address such threats. The Convention is a key legal instrument, facilitating international cooperation, including the exchange of information on nuclear security threats, prosecution, and extradition of suspects,” he added.

In her video address, Ms. Ghada Waly, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNODC, recalled that ICSANT was designed precisely for this purpose to “prevent nuclear and other radioactive material from being used for terrorist or other criminal purposes.”

While highlighting the multilateral security partnership between the EU and the UN, Ms. Marjolijn van Deelen, European Union Special Envoy for Non-proliferation and Disarmament emphasized that this new project aims at building capacities of Member States in “detecting and responding to non-State actors trying to acquire nuclear material, improve the knowledge of the threats and enhance international cooperation.”

Ms. Vivian Okeke, Representative of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the United Nations and Director of the New York Office underlined the synergies between ICSANT and other key international legal instruments such as the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material as amended (A/CPPNM) and stated that “together, the A/CPPNM and ICSANT form a basis for ensuring that persons involved in terrorist and other criminal acts involving nuclear and other radioactive material are brought to justice and are denied safe haven.”

Background

ICSANT was adopted in 2005 by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly. It entered into force in 2007 and currently has 122 States Parties.

In December 2022, the General Assembly reiterated its concern about the growing risk of linkages between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction (A/RES/77/75). In particular, the General Assembly recognized that terrorists may seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction, and appealed to all Member States to consider ratification of ICSANT while encouraging States Parties to review their implementation.
The project supports requesting Member States in capacity building to strengthen legal frameworks and enhance nuclear security. It also seeks to enhance appreciation of the importance of ratification and encourage effective implementation of the Convention.

More specifically, the UNCCT-led components of the project will include:

Awareness raising and visibility events
Regional workshops and tabletop exercises on nuclear security
National trainings
Promotion of the Global Academic Study on the reasons and challenges for non-adherence to ICSANT

For more information, visit /counterterrorism/cct/chemical-biological-radiological... or contact oct-ctweapons@un.org

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