Nuclear Security News and Member Updates Roundup, July 2023

Dear Friend,

July’s box office hit “Oppenheimer” facilitates a long look back at the origin of our collective nuclear legacy, even as the most dangerous aspects of that legacy feature in headlines about threats to Ukrainian nuclear power plants, a decline in global nuclear security, the lingering “what ifs” of Russia’s Wagner rebellion, and the perils (as well as promise) that artificial intelligence poses for nuclear security. Meanwhile, despite the summer heat, this community of thought leaders and practitioners continues not just to promote the importance of nuclear security but to seek new ways to strengthen norms, culture, and practice. Wishing everyone some time to relax and recharge in the weeks ahead.

Best wishes,

Christina

Interim Director, International Nuclear Security Forum

Join the conversation on Twitter: @INS_Forum

Nuclear Security News

Impact: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• The Leader of the U.N.’s Nuclear Watchdog Called for Greater Access to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant: “Russia and Ukraine accused each other…of plotting to sabotage the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine and the leader of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog called for greater access for inspections amid rising tensions over one of the war’s main flash points, even as analysts said the immediate risk of serious harm to the facility appeared low. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, citing the country’s intelligence service, said that Russian troops who seized the plant in March of last year had placed objects that look like explosives on the roof of several of its power units, possibly with the intent of simulating an attack and blaming it on Ukraine. In an apparent response to Mr. Zelensky’s concerns, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said…that its inspectors at the site had not seen any indications of mines or explosions, but that the agency had requested additional access to parts of the plant to confirm that finding.”
• Wagner Rebellion Raises Doubts About Stability of Russia’s Nuclear Arsenal: “The rebellion in Russia by Wagner mercenaries confronted Western officials with one of their gravest fears: the possibility of political chaos and instability in the country with the world’s largest nuclear arsenal. Anxiety over who might gain control of Russia’s weapons of mass destruction has long tempered Western hopes that President Vladimir Putin might be ousted from power. But months of nuclear posturing by Putin and other senior Russian officials, and a new debate among Moscow analysts on using a nuclear weapon on a NATO country, have raised doubts about whether Putin really provides the stability necessary to avoid an atomic Armageddon — or if he is the risk they should fear most…Then came the specter of civil war, with Wagner mercenaries rolling in a convoy toward Moscow in the most serious political chaos since 1993 when President Boris Yeltsin ordered tanks to fire on the country’s parliament to squash a rebellion by lawmakers. As the Wagner rebellion unfolded…United States officials contacted Moscow to assure Putin that Prigozhin’s rebellion was an internal Russian matter, according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. That reassurance highlighted the worry among Western leaders that Putin, sensing a Western plot or fearing defeat, could take radical action.”
• Medvedev Threatens to Attack Nuclear Facilities in Ukraine and Europe, Following Unconfirmed Reports of Attempted Missile Strike on Russian Nuclear Plant: “Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, threatened to attack Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities in Eastern Europe in a post on his Telegram channel. In his post, he refers to unconfirmed reports from the Telegram channel Mash that Ukraine’s Armed Forces allegedly tried to attack Russia’s Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant and a military air base in the Kaluga region using either 5В28 or British Storm Shadow missiles. The post claims that air defense systems shot down the missiles…In his post, Medvedev wrote: ‘If the attempted NATO missile attack on Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant is confirmed, then it is necessary to consider the scenario of a Russian strike on the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant, Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, and Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant, as well as nuclear facilities in Eastern Europe […]’”
• Wagner Fighters Neared Russian Nuclear Base During Revolt: “As rebellious Wagner forces drove north toward Moscow on June 24, a contingent of military vehicles diverted east on a highway in the direction of a fortified Russian army base that holds nuclear weapons, according to videos posted online and interviews with local residents. Once the Wagner fighters reach more rural regions, the surveillance trail goes cold – about 100 km from the nuclear base, Voronezh-45. Reuters could not confirm what happened next, and Western officials have repeatedly said that Russia’s nuclear stockpile was never in danger during the uprising, which ended quickly and mysteriously later that day. But in an exclusive interview, Ukraine’s head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the Wagner fighters went far further. He said that they reached the nuclear base and that their intention was to acquire small Soviet-era nuclear devices in order to ‘raise the stakes’ in their mutiny. ‘Because if you are prepared to fight until the last man standing, this is one of the facilities that significantly raises the stakes,’ Budanov said.”
• IAEA ‘Strongly Encouraging’ Options to Allow Cold Shutdown of All Zaporizhzhia Units: “[T]he IAEA said that the steam generated from the one unit – currently unit 5 – in hot shutdown, is used ‘for various nuclear safety purposes including the processing of liquid radioactive waste collected in storage tanks’. The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine issued regulatory orders last month for all six units to be placed in cold shutdown, given its situation on the frontline of the war, and the breaching of the dam that had helped ensure plentiful cooling water supplies. The Russian operators of the plant say such a move is not required from a ‘legal or technological point of view’ and the IAEA said the plant’s operators are currently preparing to move unit 4 from cold shutdown to hot shutdown, after which unit 5 will be placed in cold shutdown ‘to carry out preventative maintenance activities that are only possible in cold shutdown’. The IAEA added that its experts stationed at the plant ‘are strongly encouraging the ZNPP to investigate all possible options to install an external boiler to generate the steam required, which would enable the site to bring all units into a cold shutdown state’.”
• Update 175 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine: “During a walkdown on 23 July, the IAEA team saw some mines located in a buffer zone between the site’s internal and external perimeter barriers. The experts reported that they were situated in a restricted area that operating plant personnel cannot access and were facing away from the site. The team did not observe any within the inner site perimeter during the walkdown. ‘As I have reported earlier, the IAEA has been aware of the previous placement of mines outside the site perimeter and also at particular places inside. Our team has raised this specific finding with the plant and they have been told that it is a military decision, and in an area controlled by military,’ Director General Grossi said. ‘But having such explosives on the site is inconsistent with the IAEA safety standards and nuclear security guidance and creates additional psychological pressure on plant staff – even if the IAEA’s initial assessment based on its own observations and the plant’s clarifications is that any detonation of these mines should not affect the site’s nuclear safety and security systems. The team will continue its interactions with the plant,’ he added.”

International Architecture

• What Political Uncertainty in Russia Means for Nuclear Security: “The spectacle of the mercenary Wagner group forces advancing on Moscow was shocking but in the end, brief…Of particular concern during the crisis were the short- and long-term nuclear risks posed by the potential coup, including whether Russian nuclear weapons stored in bases might be vulnerable to capture by Prigozhin’s forces and what chaos and regime change might mean for Russia’s nuclear posture in the long-term. We know that nuclear weapons possessors make technical, procedural, and doctrinal choices about how to keep their nuclear arsenals secure…Russia takes this issue seriously and despite reports that Wagner forces headed towards Russian nuclear bases, it seems very unlikely that the Wagner group revolt presented a serious risk of taking over command and control of nuclear weapons on a base…However, the larger picture isn’t so reassuring.”

Weapons, Materials, and Facilities

• Urenco to Expand US Enrichment Plant: “Uranium enrichment services provider Urenco has announced plans to increase capacity at its plant in Eunice, New Mexico – the only operating commercial uranium enrichment facility in North America – by 15%. New commitments from US customers for non-Russian fuel underpin this investment, the company noted. It said the project will see multiple new centrifuge cascades added to the existing Urenco USA (UUSA) plant, and will be the first project to be delivered as part of the company’s capacity programme, which ‘will strengthen the nuclear fuel supply chain both in the US and globally’. Urenco said the capacity programme is a long-term plan to extend and refurbish enrichment capacity at its sites to meet increasing customer demand ‘as more countries and utility companies turn to nuclear for the first time, or seek to extend and/or diversify fuel supplies for existing nuclear operations’.”
• China Begins Construction of Pakistan’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant: “Pakistan held a groundbreaking ceremony…for what will be its largest civil nuclear power plant — constructed by China — that will contribute 1,200 megawatts of electricity daily to the national grid and is estimated to cost at least $3.5 billion. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior Chinese officials attended the televised event in the central city of Chashma, dubbed the birthplace of China-Pakistan nuclear energy cooperation. Over the past 30 years, Beijing has installed four nuclear power generation units in Chashma, collectively generating about 1,300 megawatts, with China providing enriched uranium for fuel.”
• In the Lab Oppenheimer Built, the U.S. Is Building Nuclear Bomb Cores Again: “Something unusual is happening inside the plutonium facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. PF-4, as it is known to top government officials, is the heart of America’s nuclear complex, a lab where scientists and engineers study and experiment on highly radioactive materials in tight secrecy. Recently, employees have discovered yellow plastic tents encasing equipment and rendering it inaccessible…‘It’s part of our expansion plans,’ Matthew Johnson, a senior lab manager, tells me during a rare tour of the fortified building. ‘All the old stuff is coming out.’ PF-4 is being transformed from an experimental laboratory that focuses mostly on research into a facility that mass-produces plutonium ‘pits,’ the grapefruit-sized cores inside every nuclear bomb in America’s arsenal. Los Alamos— the lab synonymous with the dark art of nuclear-weapon development—hasn’t produced a certified pit in over a decade and has never had to produce more than 10 in a single year. But in 2018, Congress passed a law mandating that PF-4 produce 30 pits a year by 2026. Around $5 billion has already been spent to overhaul the cramped, aging facilities. The Biden Administration has pumped $4.6 billion into Los Alamos this fiscal year alone—a 130% budget increase over what the lab received just five years ago.”

Threats

• Charming Kitten Targets Nuclear Security Experts in “Unending Espionage Quest”: “Charming Kitten – also referred to as TA453, APT42, Mint Sandstorm, and Yellow Garuda – is a threat actor linked to Iran. It stands out in its attempts to compromise high-value accounts in government, academia, NGOs, national security, and journalism. Recently, the group has been going after nuclear and Middle East experts in what researchers at cybersecurity company Proofpoint called an ‘unending espionage quest.’ The threat actor apparently impersonates well-known and reputable experts to lure victims into its trap.”
• Uranium Plant Explosion in Russia Sparks Nuclear Radiation Fears: “An explosion at a uranium enrichment plant in Russia’s Urals region on Friday prompted Russia’s state nuclear corporation to publish a statement to ease fears. At around 9 a.m. local time, a cylinder with depleted uranium hexafluoride ‘depressurized’ in a workshop at the Ural Electrochemical Combine in Novouralsk, the statement from Rosatom, which owns the plant—the largest uranium enrichment plant in the world—said…Russian media outlets often use euphemisms such as ‘loud bang’ or ‘depressurized’ instead of ‘blast’ or ‘explosion,’ allegedly to avoid sowing panic and to maintain a ‘favorable information landscape.’ Russia’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti cited a source in emergency services as saying that one person had died and that radiation levels at the facility were normal.”

Security Culture

• ‘Disturbing’ Decline in Global Nuclear Security, Watchdog Says: “Nuclear security risks are rising for the first time in a decade, according to an annual index released Tuesday by the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a Washington-based watchdog nonprofit that looks beyond the well-known nuclear threats such as weapons proliferation, and toward less widely considered problems, such as the storage of weapons-usable uranium that could be exploited by terrorist groups or the safety of nuclear sites during conflicts. The report marks the first time that the organization’s Nuclear Security Index, in an attempt to piece together a big picture of the global nuclear threat, finds that security had gotten worse since the dataset’s origin in 2012. The report also comes amid spiraling geopolitical tension over conflict near nuclear sites in Ukraine and stalling efforts at nonproliferation and international regulation.”
• Nuclear Safety Staffing in The United States: A Crisis With No Easy Fix: “According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog, nearly 13 million people are exposed to ionizing radiation in occupational settings every year worldwide. There are horror stories within the nuclear safety community of what can happen with lax institutional oversight of nuclear and radiological materials—from stockpiles of improperly managed radiological waste to missing or inaccurate inventories to lost or destroyed records…In the United States, however, three challenges stand in the way of maintaining adequate levels of nuclear safety staffing: an insufficient supply of qualified experts, the loss of established experts, and the loss of tacit knowledge held by experts who retire. No single solution can fix all three challenges. But the loss of experienced personnel and the knowledge they possess should be of highest concern in the medium term.”
• IAEA Concludes International Physical Protection Advisory Mission in Nigeria: “The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed an International Physical Protection Advisory mission in Nigeria…This peer review mission aimed to assess Nigeria’s nuclear security regime and provide recommendations to enhance its effectiveness. The twelve-day mission was carried out at the request of the Nigerian government…The team observed that the nuclear security regime in Nigeria is established and incorporates the fundamental principles of the amended CPPNM. The team provided recommendations and suggestions to support Nigeria in enhancing and sustaining nuclear security. Good practices were identified that can serve as examples to other IAEA Member States to help strengthen their nuclear security activities…Dr. Yau Usman Idris, Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to continuous improvement of its nuclear security regime. ‘The recommendations provided by the IPPAS experts will enable the Federal Government of Nigeria to effectively enhance the implementation of the relevant international instruments on protection of nuclear and other radioactive material, associated facilities and activities.’”

Emerging Technologies

• ‘Artificial Escalation’: Imagining the Future of Nuclear Risk: “Imagine it’s 2032. The US and China are still rivals. In order to give their military commanders better intel and more time to make decisions, both powers have integrated artificial intelligence (AI) throughout their nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) systems. But instead, events take an unexpected turn and spin out of control, with catastrophic results. This is the story told in a new short film called Artificial Escalation produced by Space Film & VFX for The Future of Life Institute. This plot may sound like science fiction (and the story is fictional), but the possibility of AI integration into weapons of mass destruction is now very real. Some experts say that the United States should build an NC3 system using AI ‘with predetermined response decisions, that detects, decides, and directs strategic forces.’ The US is already envisioning integration like this in conventional command and control systems: the Joint All-Domain Command and Control has proposed connecting sensors from all military services into a single network, using AI to identify targets and recommend the ‘optimal weapon.’ But NC3-AI integration is a terrible idea. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) explored key risks of AI integration into NC3, including: increased speed of warfare, accidental escalation, misperception of intentions and capabilities, erosion of human control, first-strike instability, the unpredictability of AI, the vulnerabilities of AI to adversary penetration, and arms race dynamics.”
• Robots, AI and 3D Models: How High-tech Breakthroughs Help Nuclear Decommissioning: “Robots, drones, artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging digital technologies, which are already helping to advance nuclear decommissioning projects worldwide, are set to play an increasingly key role in the sector, as more and more countries choose to immediately dismantle their retired nuclear facilities. To help get the job done efficiently and reduce risks, including financial and radiological ones, countries are turning to high-tech tools such as virtual reality and 3D simulation — a trend that looks set to intensify in the coming years as several ageing nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities are phased into retirement. ‘Whether it’s radiation-defying robots working at accident sites such as Fukushima Daiichi in Japan, or 3D modelling used to better plan dismantling at retired power plants, the nuclear decommissioning sector increasingly finds itself at the forefront of technological innovation,’ said Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy. ‘These technologies provide vital insights for planning and implementing projects, especially in situations which could be risky for people, thereby helping to ensure these jobs are carried out safely and effectively.’”
• Nuclear Explained – Computer Security in the Nuclear World: “Digital technologies support operations and automation at facilities handling nuclear material or other radioactive material, potentially leading to increased operational efficiency, reduced labour costs, and better safety and security. However, digital innovations may also pose threats and risks, underscoring the need for robust computer security within a nuclear security regime. What does information and computer security look like in the nuclear world? What are the latest trends within the computer security community? How often do cyberattacks occur? In this episode, the experts answer these questions and more.”

Member Organization Announcements and Updates

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

• Matt Bunn published an article about the current dangers at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine titled “The Largest Danger at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant: Intentional Sabotage” on July 6, 2023. Read the article here.

Global Nuclear Security Partners (GNSP)

• Nick Tomkinson was on BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight discussing the situation at Zaporizhzhia NPP to try to calm some of the histrionics about what may happen if there were a radiological incident at the site. Listen to the broadcast here.
• GNSP provided our nuclear security expertise, alongside intelligence specialists Prevail Partners, for an article in the Daily Express discussing the impact of a radiological incident at Zaporizhzhia NPP. Read the article here.
• Nick Tomkinson was on BBC News, discussing the British Government’s launch of GB Nuclear and the investment in Small Modular and Advanced Modular Reactor technology and associated infrastructure and fuel. Watch the interview here.
• GNSP are pleased to announce the standing up of their first Advisory Board. Anne Harrington (former US Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation) and Dr. Adi Paterson (former CEO of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization) will be joining the board.

The Stimson Center

• Annina Pluff and Sneha Nair’s issue brief about AI and nuclear security titled “‘Don’t Blame the Robots’ – Artificial Intelligence Bias & Implications for Nuclear Security” presented at the Institute for Nuclear Material Management Annual Meeting in May, is now available. Read more.
• Stimson Non-Resident Fellow Sylvia Mishra published an article about visiting the Trinity test site in International Security and Technology titled “To Trinity Test Site: Reconciling with the Past, Taking Action for the Future” on July 16, 2023. Read more.
• Sneha Nair and Visiting Fellow Haleema Saadia presented policy papers at the BASIC Emerging Voices Network anthology launch event: De-siloing Existential Threats: Challenging Identity, Power, and Inclusivity in the Nuclear Policy Field. Read the anthology.  
• Sneha Nair was a featured speaker at the Virtual launch of WINS new publication – Advancing Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Nuclear Security Sector: Reporting Framework on July 19, 2023. Watch the recording.
• Sylvia Mishra and Alexa Wehsener published an report for the International Security and Technology about nuclear crisis communication titled “Strengthening Resilience in 21st Century Crisis Communications” on July 20, 2023. Read more.

International Institute for Strategic Studies

• Zuzanna Gwadera published an article about the recent North Korean missile tests titled “North Korea’s Hwasong-18 Test” on July 19, 2023. Read more.
• Timothy Wright published an article about the French ‘V-MaX’ hypersonic missile titled “France Conducts Its First Hypersonic Glide Vehicle Test” on June 29, 2023. Read more.
• William Alberque published an article about ongoing risks at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant titled “The Wartime Weaponisation of Nuclear Power Stations” on June 28, 2023. Read more.

Nuclear Policy Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

• Jamie Kwong published a paper titled “How Climate Change Challenges the U.S. Nuclear Deterrent” on July 10, 2023. Read more.

Nuclear Threat Initiative

• NTI launched the sixth annual Nuclear Security Index in partnership with Economist Impact on July 18, 2023. The index reviews nuclear and radiological security conditions in 175 countries and Taiwan. The three nuclear security rankings, Theft: Secure Materials, Theft: Support Global Efforts, and Sabotage: Protect Facilities, score countries and areas on a scale of 0 to 100, where 100 is the highest possible score. View the index and data here.
• Nickolas Roth was a featured speaker at the Virtual launch of WINS new publication – Advancing Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Nuclear Security Sector: Reporting Framework on July 19, 2023. Watch the recording.
• NTI is partnering with Nagasaki Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture, and the Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe) on a #CranesForOurFuture campaign to spread a message of hope for a future without nuclear weapons. The campaign encourages a growing coalition of people and institutions across the globe to come together to create some much-needed hope by folding and sharing photos of paper peace cranes on social media on Peace Weekend, between the August 6 and August 9 anniversaries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings.

Nuclear Transport Solutions

• NTI published online a paper by NTS’ Alex Barrow that was presented at the April 2023 Global Dialogue on Nuclear Security Priorities in Vienna. The paper, titled “Nuclear Security at the Multilateral and Industry Levels: Bridging the Gap”, argues for a greater role for the nuclear industry in supporting multilateral-level nuclear security policy and decision-making, provides recommendations for industry and government stakeholders on how to achieve this, and offers some lessons from NTS’ own initiatives in this field. Read here.
• NTS’ cyber security team attended the IAEA’s “Conference on Computer Security in the Nuclear World: Security for Safety” in Vienna. As well as promoting NTS’ advanced cybersecurity capabilities and its cybersecurity consultancy and capacity-building role, John Tear and Lauren Gorge delivered a side-event on how NTS identifies and mitigates cyber threats to transport asset Operating Technology.
• NTS was well-represented at the June 2023 Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials (PATRAM) conference in Antibes, France. Members of NTS’ security team presented a number of papers during technical sessions on various topics, including how to establish the foundations for an effective cyber security culture, the application of the ACPPNM to transportable and floating nuclear power plants, and NTS’ role in supporting global nuclear security. Ben Whittard, NTS’ Director of Solutions, chaired a panel session on current and future global transport security challenges, and Pete Buchan, Shipping Director, was a panelist at a US government-chaired side-event on industry approaches to strengthening nuclear transport security. Read here.
• NTS attended the Annual Meeting of the IAEA’s International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN) for the first time as a relatively new member. Alex Barrow gave a presentation to introduce NTS to INSEN, outline some of NTS’ recent activities in nuclear security promotion and capacity-building, and encourage further industry-academia collaboration.

Project on Managing the Atom, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

• Mariana Budjeryn published an article about the breach in the Kakhovka Dam titled “The Breach of Ukraine’s Kakhovka Dam and the Nearby Nuclear Plant” in the Boston Globe on June 13, 2023.Read here.

Union of Concerned Scientists

• Ed Lyman published a blog response to the American Nuclear Society’s statement about the current threats at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on July 7, 2023. Read here.

Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

• The VCDNP partnered with the European Union and Vienna-based International Gender Champions to organize a career development and networking event for young women in the nuclear field. Read more here.
• The VCDNP organized a webinar exploring the prospects for the 2023 NPT PrepCom meeting and the Working Group on Further Strengthening the Review Process with key officials and experts involved in the NPT review process. Watch here.
• In the 8th episode of Machiavelli in the Ivory Tower, Dr. Hanna Notte and CNS’ Sarah Bidgood speak with Rose Gottemoeller, who is the Steven C. Hazy lecturer at Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). Watch here.
• Research Associate Louis Reitmann recommends measures for the NSG to enhance its transparency and outreach and explains how this will help to universalize and implement the NSG Guidelines in WorldECR, the leading journal on export controls and sanctions. Read here.
• This Pride Month, Research Associate Louis Reitmann explains how LGBTQ+ inclusion improves nuclear decision-making and how queer theory can change our perception of nuclear weapons in a co-authored piece in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Read here.
• Louis Reitmann was a featured speaker at the Virtual launch of WINS new publication – Advancing Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Nuclear Security Sector: Reporting Framework on July 19, 2023. Watch the recording.

World Institute for Nuclear Security

• WINS launched a new publication titled “Advancing Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Nuclear Security Sector: Reporting Framework” on July 19, 2023. The event featured the reporting framework, which contains a step-by-step guide on planning, preparing, publishing and promoting reports on gender equality, diversity and inclusion. The framework also uses practical, real-world, relevant examples to better illustrate each stage of the reporting journey. Read more here.

Individual Member Updates

• Ali Alkis participated in the Public Policy and Nuclear Threats (PPNT) Boot Camp, organized by the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation held in San Diego, CA between 9-22 July.
• Isabel Bosman and Jo-Ansie van Wyk published a policy brief on UNSC Resolution 1540 (2004) and the African Continental Free Trade titled
  “Resolution 1540 and the African Continental Free Trade Area: Policy Options to Strengthen Non-Proliferation Controls and Secure Trade” in the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) on July 11, 2023. Read here.
• Sitakanta Mishra published an article about small modular reactors and nuclear energy titled “India’s policy push for SMRs a timely step to ensure energy security” on July 18, 2023. Read more.
• Artem Lazarev from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shared:
  • On 14 June, UNODC contributed to an Advocacy parliamentary event for Togo organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT). The event was attended by approximately 30 representatives from the Togolese Parliament (Assemblée Nationale) and other stakeholders. During the meeting, UNODC presented on the key provisions of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), benefits of adherence to it, procedure for becoming party, and UNODC’s technical and legislative assistance available in order to raise awareness of the convention and help facilitate the country’s adherence.
  • On 19 June, UNODC held, jointly with UNOCT, a side event on “Enhancing multilateralism and reinforcing nuclear security: EU support to the UN in promoting the universalization and effective implementation of ICSANT” at the 2023 Counter-Terrorism Week in New York, USA. The side event presented the progress made under the current EU-funded ICSANT project (January 2019 – June 2023) and highlighted the main priorities for further action which will be addressed under the forthcoming project (July 2023 – June 2026), including awareness raising and capacity building activities.
  • On 21-22 June, UNODC held a Regional Workshop on Promoting the Universalization and Effective Implementation of ICSANT for Southeast Asia in Bangkok, Thailand. Bringing together some 40 participants from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the police and other relevant institutions in the region, the workshop aimed at raising awareness of the importance of adhering to, and effectively implementing, the Convention. The event also provided participants with a forum to discuss the benefits and challenges of adhering to the Convention and incorporating its provisions into national legislation. Read here.
  • On 27 June 2023, UNODC conducted a country visit to Brunei to raise awareness on the importance of adhering to, and effectively implementing, ICSANT. The meeting was organized in cooperation with the Prime Minister’s Office and gathered several relevant stakeholders from different institutions (Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Defense, Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Safety, Health and Environment National Authority).
    • The above-mentioned activities/contribution were part of a project funded by the European Union on “Promoting universalization and effective implementation of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism”.
  • UNODC contributed to three National parliamentary sessions on nuclear security held by Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), respectively, for Trinidad and Tobago (6-7 July), Seychelles (20 July), Gambia (31 July), and delivered presentations on ICSANT, benefits of adherence and UNODC’s related work. Read about the Trinidad and Tobago sessions here.
    • The contribution was part of a project funded by Canada on supporting the universalization of international legal frameworks related to nuclear security.

Opportunities

• The Arms Control Association is currently seeking applications for a Fall 2023 Nuclear Policy Research Internship based in Washington, DC. Learn more.
• The IAEA is now accepting applications for their Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme that aims to help increase the number of women in the nuclear field. Fellows will receive a scholarship for Master’s programs in nuclear related studies, and are provided with an opportunity to pursue internships facilitated by the IAEA for up to 12 months. Learn more.
• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking a Senior Security Specialist for the Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR), Division of Physical and Cyber Security Policy (DPCP), Reactor Security Branch (RSB). Learn more.
• The National Nuclear Security Administration is seeking a Program Manager for Interagency Policy to lead the creation, execution, and management of nuclear policy matters pertaining to naval nuclear propulsion in coordination with the Executive Branch, serve as a subject matter expert on a full range of issues related to nuclear propulsion, and provide authoritative advice, among other duties. Learn more.
• The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation in partnership with the Council for a Livable World are now accepting applications for a Research Analyst position. The position will focus on nuclear weapons policy, international security, and defense spending. Learn more.
• The Capital Area Division (CAD) of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) has an outstanding opportunity for an exceptional Nuclear Subject Matter Expert with experience identifying, characterizing, and assessing global nuclear and radiological threats including proliferation and procurement trend analysis. Learn more. 
• The Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Center for Non-Proliferation Studies is seeking a Research Assistant/Office Manager for their Washington, D.C. office. Learn more. 
• Rose Gottemoeller, former Deputy Secretary-General of NATO, is looking for a research assistant at Stanford University to support continuing work on new approaches to weapons of mass destruction arms control, including new monitoring and verification techniques, as well as new approaches to diplomacy and negotiation. The candidate will also support a graduate course on new techniques and technologies for the monitoring and verification of weapons of mass destruction. Learn more. 
• Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc., is hiring a Senior NATO Nuclear Support Analyst for their Defense Threat Reduction Agency Division to support the U.S. Department of Defense. Learn more.  
• Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc., is hiring a Senior Nuclear Weapons Physical Security Analyst for their Defense Threat Reduction Agency Division to support the U.S. Department of Defense. Learn more. 
• S & K Technologies, Inc., is looking for a program analyst to provide administrative support to the Director and staff at the Department of Energy Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, SC. This position supports mission essential program activities that are crucial to the safe testing, startup, operation, deactivation, and maintenance of highly complex production-scale, radiologically shielded nuclear facilities. Learn more.