On 23 and 24 April 2024, the VCDNP, in cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), hosted a high-level workshop on legal instruments for nuclear security to promote adherence among parliamentarians to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM), its 2005 Amendment, and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT).
An important goal for the international nuclear security community is that all States around the world should adhere to the these conventions, and that they are robustly implemented by all adhering States. However, States still remain that have not yet adhered to them, for varied reasons. A common challenge is a lack of awareness of their value within the national parliament.
The workshop aimed to address this challenge by seeking to motivate parliamentarians to become champions for these legal instruments. In addition, it was intended as a pilot effort to demonstrate the effectiveness of engaging parliamentarians on this issue, and to identify lessons learned for future activities in this area. Drawing on the conversations during the workshop as well as the experience of organising the workshop, we have identified lessons learned, conclusions, and recommendations in six areas:
The conclusions and recommendations are set out in the full text of the report, along with a detailed discussion of the need for universal adherence to legal instruments for nuclear security, information on the April 2024 high-level workshop, and possible next steps.
The VCDNP thanks the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for their collaboration and support for this effort.
