The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), in conjunction with the Moscow-based Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the Government of Kazakhstan, recently sponsored a workshop on radiological security and safety procedures.
The event featured discussions on strengthening security around radiological sources in Central Asia and opportunities to prevent illicit trafficking of those sources. More than 50 technical experts from regional countries attended the conference, including representatives from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the United States, and the Russian Federation.
During a featured presentation, NTI Vice President for Material Security and Minimization Andrew Bieniawski stressed the importance of engagement on radiological security among diverse national and regional stakeholders.
“We commend the Government of Kazakhstan for hosting this important regional meeting which will strengthen nuclear and radiological security in this region,” former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA), who serves as NTI co-chairman, said. “We are particularly pleased to join the Center for Energy and Security Studies as partners in this effort, and we thank the International Atomic Energy Agency for its support and cooperation.”
Addressing security around radiological sources in Central Asia was one of 50 different recommendations made in a recent joint report from NTI and CENESS, titled Pathways to Cooperation, which was published as a result of dialogues between U.S. and Russian radiological experts.