From 7 to 9 April 2025, the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) held a specialised course on “Nuclear Issues in Vienna” for ambassadors recently posted to Vienna. The course was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Norway to the International Organisations in Vienna. Through presentations and panel discussions, ambassadors from 14 States explored nuclear policy and priority issues for the Vienna diplomatic community and the international organisations based in Vienna.
During the three-day intensive programme, speakers and participants discussed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its review cycle, nuclear testing and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its policy-making organs, the history and development of the IAEA safeguards system, nuclear security, and the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology.
During two panel discussions with other invited ambassadors and representatives of international organisations in Vienna, the participants exchanged their views on the state of multilateral diplomacy in Vienna and the international non-proliferation regime.
The following is a selection of testimonials from ambassadors who took part in the course.
“Great opportunity to build capacity for new ambassadors. Wonderful speakers with a lot of practical issues on the challenges that ambassadors and missions will face.”
“I was able to place very fragmented knowledge of the field on a broader context. Thanks to the course I was able to acquire a structured and comprehensive views of the field.”
“The course was very informative and engaging, offering a comprehensive and well-structured overview that provided a valuable insight into the topics, which I greatly appreciated.”
“It has been […] a great opportunity to learn and understand more about the interesting and necessary topics discussed. For me it has been a very enriching experience and an indispensable basis to work.”
The VCDNP is grateful to the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ambassador Susan Eckey, and the Permanent Mission of Norway to the International Organisations in Vienna for their generous support for this course.
