updates-from-OPCW-April-2024

On 19 January, UNODC launched the Virtual speaker series on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) and Nuclear Terrorism, funded by the Government of Canada. The first event, focusing on the Border Management in the Context of ICSANT, featured experts from UNODC and INTERPOL and gathered around 80 participants.
On 16 February, UNODC held the second event of the Virtual speaker series on ICSANT and Nuclear Terrorism, funded by the Government of Canada. Focusing on international cooperation on nuclear forensics and ICSANT, the event featured experts from UNODC, Hungary, the Netherlands and Romania and gathered around 70 participants from 29 countries and several international organizations and NGOs.
On 18 February, Palau became party to ICSANT. This event comes after over nine years of engagement between the CBRN Terrorism Prevention Programme of TPB and national authorities, aimed at highlighting the importance of the Convention and its benefits, made possible thanks to the support of the Government of Canada, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom.
On 18-19 March, UNODC visited Nepal to raise awareness of national stakeholders of benefits of adherence to, and effective implementation of ICSANT. Conducted as part of a project funded by the Government of Canada, the country visit comprised bilateral consultations with representatives from the following institutions: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; the Parliament; and the Office of the Attorney General. UNODC also met with the Deputy Director of the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament (UNRCPD) of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), and also discussed ways to strengthen partnership and future cooperation between UNODC and UNODA in the area of countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors.
On 4-6 March, UNODC conducted a country visit to Sao Tome and Principe to raise awareness on the importance of adhering to, and effectively implementing, ICSANT. Organized under a project funded by the European Union, the visit comprised high-level bilateral meetings with the Minister of Defence and Internal Administration, the Director of the Immigration and Border Service, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the customs and the Prosecutor’s Office.