Brussels, 12/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - An important step in international cooperation against the threat of nuclear terrorism was made on Friday 8 April. This involves the deposit of the instrument of ratification by Nicaragua by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of the 2005 Amendment to the 1987 Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). By becoming the 102nd country to ratify the agreement, Nicaragua has enabled the two thirds ceiling of signatory countries to be reached, which effectively brings activates all the provisions included in the text as from 8 May next.
The CPPNM includes binding measures on the physical protection of nuclear materials during international transport to prevent the theft or illegal use that could result in explosive nuclear devices being made. The amendment extends its scope of application by obliging countries to protect their civilian nuclear installations and the storage and transport of fissile materials. The text also enhances international cooperation in the search for stolen nuclear materials or those used in trafficking.
The 52 countries participating at the world summit on nuclear security at the beginning of April in Washington agreed to strengthen international cooperation in countering the threat of nuclear or radiological terrorism (see EUROPE 11524). Over the past 20 years, the IAEA has identified almost 2800 cases of trafficking and the illegal possession and loss of radiological materials that could potentially be used in the making of a dirty bomb. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)