2023 Specialised Course “Safeguards for Policymakers: What You Need to Know”

The VCDNP hosted an intensive short course on nuclear safeguards for policymakers and practitioners from 20 to 24 February 2023. The course covered a wide range of safeguards issues, including, inter alia, the legal framework, verification techniques, case studies in non-compliance, as well as future challenges for the safeguards regime. Throughout the course, participants learned directly from senior experts, policy specialists, and safeguards inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as national regulators.

A highlight of the course was an exclusive tour of Austria’s unique and only nuclear power plant at Zwentendorf. As the reactor has never been operational, visitors are able to explore all areas of a Generation-II nuclear power plant without any radiation risk. This allowed participants to enhance their understanding of the challenges IAEA inspectors encounter in ensuring compliance with nuclear safeguards.

The course welcomed participants from 19 countries, 13 participants from developing countries, most of which do not use nuclear power for electricity production. Of the participants, 47% were women. The VCDNP was pleased at the diverse group of participants hailing from diplomatic missions in Vienna, ministries of foreign affairs, national nuclear regulators, and research institutions. By training officials from these key national stakeholders in safeguards implementation, the course made a concrete contribution to strengthening the global safeguards regime.

Some of the course contents included:

• An overview of the process to bring into force and implement comprehensive safeguards agreements and additional protocols by Djamel Tadjer, Senior Inspector for State Level Coordination, IAEA Department of Safeguards;
• An overview by VCDNP Senior Fellow and former Section Head for Non-Proliferation and Policy Making in the IAEA’s Office of Legal Affairs Laura Rockwood of the history and development of IAEA safeguards, including the Model Additional Protocol and small quantities protocols, as well as a detailed explanation about cases of non‑compliance in safeguards;
• A hands-on demonstration of the range of tools IAEA inspectors uses to verify compliance by Andrew Yeoh, IAEA Safeguards Inspector;
• A panel discussion on lessons learned about State Systems of Accounting and Control for Nuclear Material, featuring nuclear regulator officials from Egypt, Ghana, and Finland;
• An exploration of future challenges and opportunities for the safeguards system by Jenni Rissanen, Team Leader at the Division of Concepts and Planning in the IAEA Department of Safeguards.

In an anonymous survey 100% of participants rated the course as excellent or very good. All participants stated that they would suggest this training to their colleagues and counterparts.

Participants appreciated the comprehensive and varied range of course contents, confirming that it provided a memorable overview of the development of safeguards policy and verification techniques. The visit to the nuclear power plant at Zwentendorf was rated as particularly useful.  Participants were also impressed with speakers’ level of expertise and experience.

The following are testimonials from the 2023 safeguards course:

“The course is very well structured and covers all the different topics people were interested in, both diplomats and regulators.”

 “The opportunity to interact with safeguards inspectors was helpful; it allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the practical aspects of nuclear safeguards.”

“I hope that the VCDNP will be able to offer this course on a regular basis; maybe two times a year.”

The VCDNP extends its thanks to the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom for its generous support of this short course.