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The Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (the Global Partnership) is an international initiative aimed at preventing the proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons and related materials.
Past, Present, & Future
The Global Partnership (GP) was launched at the G8 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada in 2002 with a mandate to prevent terrorists and those that harbor them from acquiring weapons and materials of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
It included an invitation for other countries to join the GP, and to support and adopt common "Principles" to prevent terrorists, or those that harbour them from gaining access to weapons or materials of mass destruction as well as a set of nine "Guidelines" for New or Expanded Cooperation Projects.
Sub-Working Groups
The GP implements a diverse range of programming activities around the world in four priority areas:
Concrete programmatic initiatives and thematic priorities are discussed at the bi-annual Global Partnership Working Group meetings which include four specific subordinate thematic sub-working groups on nuclear and radiological security, biological security, chemical security and CBRN cross-cutting issues.
Each sub-working group has co-chair(s) and/or “friend of the chair” who are appointed annually by the rotating chair of the Global Partnership (which rotates annually with the Presidency of the G7).
The proliferation and use, and threat of use, of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) constitute one of the gravest threats to international peace and security. Furthermore, false and misleading information around WMDs is a severe threat.
Global Partnership members have each committed to contribute their talents, expertise, resources, networks, and influence to deliver tangible WMD threat reduction programing.
The Global Partnership follows a set of Principles and Guidelines that were established at the 2002 Kananaskis Summit and updated under Canada's Presidency in 2025.