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ICSANT Webinars: UNODC launched the new Webinar Series on the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), funded by the EU. The first event on 12 April (A prosecutorial perspective on ICSANT) and the second event on 7 June (Extradition and mutual legal assistance under ICSANT) featured the National Coordinating Advocate-General contra terrorism, (violent) extremism and international crimes (senior prosecutor in appeal) of the Netherlands. The first event gathered 44 participants from 29 Member States and international organizations, while the second gathered over 40 participants from 27 Member States and international organizations.  

Table-top Exercises: UNODC contributed to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) workshop “Steppe Lotus” on strengthening legal frameworks to combat CBRN terrorism, which took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 16-18 April 2024. The workshop was co-organized by the Governments of Mongolia, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the United States of America, in cooperation with UNODC and UNOCT. Steppe Lotus brought together over 70 experts from border control, regulatory authorities, law enforcement, armed forces, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and other relevant agencies from Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, the United States of America and Viet Nam, as well as from UNODC and UNOCT. The event was co-funded by the EU.

UNODC contributed to the international exercise on nuclear forensics “Glowing Tulip 2.0: from crime scene to courtroom”, which took place in The Hague, the Netherlands on 23–26 April 2024. The workshop was co-organized by the Governments of the Netherlands, Romania and the United States of America, in cooperation with UNODC and UNOCT. Glowing Tulip 2.0 brought together some 70 experts from nuclear forensics bodies, regulatory authorities, law enforcement, the judiciary, armed forces, Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Interior, and other relevant agencies from Algeria, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Netherlands, Philippines, Romania, Thailand, the United States of America and Viet Nam, as well as from INTERPOL, UNODC, UNICRI and UNOCT. The event was co-funded by the EU.

ICONS 2024: On 20-24 May, UNODC participated in the International Conference on Nuclear Security 2024: Shaping the Future (ICONS 2024) organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna:

On 22 May, UNODC held a side event titled “From crime scene to courtroom: putting the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism into practice”, which was co-organized with the Government of Canada and the EU.  The event was opened by the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations in Vienna and the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in Vienna, and featured experts from INTERPOL, Montenegro, the Netherlands and Romania.

On 22 May, UNODC launched its Repository of National Legislation for Implementing the Criminalization Provisions of ICSANT, the Convention for the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its 2005 Amendment (A/CPPNM) during a technical session titled Charting the Way Forward: Assessing Current and Future Challenges on the Implementation of the A/CPPNM. The development of the repository was made possible through funding from the Government of Canada.

UNODC contributed to a side event on “Prosecution and Adjudication of Radiological and Nuclear Crimes” organized by the European Commission and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) to launch “A Prosecutor’s Guide to Radiological and Nuclear Crimes”. The guide was developed by UNICRI in close coordination with the IAEA, the Nuclear Forensic Laboratory of the Joint Research Centre (JRC - European Commission), UNODC, the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), and other international partners and relevant subject matter experts.  

In addition, UNODC presented on “Strengthening international cooperation through ICSANT” during a technical session titled “From Commitments to Action: Perspectives on Implementing Legal Provisions for Nuclear Security” held on 24 May.

Country Visits: On 30 May, UNODC conducted a country visit to Bulgaria to promote adherence to ICSANT. The meeting gathered some 20 representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Energy, State Agency for National Security, and Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency. The visit took place within the context of the Canada-funded project “Strengthening the Global Fight Against CBRN Terrorism Through Raising Awareness and Promoting Adherence to and Implementation of International Legal Frameworks related to Nuclear Security”.

On 11 June, UNODC conducted a country visit to Ecuador to promote adherence to ICSANT. The meeting gathered some 20 representatives from a range of relevant national stakeholders. The visit took place within the context of the Canada-funded project “Strengthening the Global Fight Against CBRN Terrorism Through Raising Awareness and Promoting Adherence to and Implementation of International Legal Frameworks related to Nuclear Security”.

IAEA-UNODC Joint Seminar: On 18-20 June, the IAEA and UNODC held the second Joint Seminar to Promote the Universalization of A/CPPNM and ICSANT. Bringing together about 70 representatives of relevant competent authorities from 38 Member States, the event contributed to promoting universal adherence to, and effective implementation of A/CPPNM and ICSANT and provided participants with a platform to discuss the benefits and challenges of becoming a party to these international legal instruments and incorporating their provisions into national legislation. The event was co-funded by Canada, the European Union, and the United States of America.

ICSANT Mock trial: On 25-27 June, UNODC conducted a regional Mock Trial on ICSANT, bringing together 28 representatives from criminal justice and other relevant institutions, including law enforcement, prosecutors, judges and magistrates, from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Through a fictional scenario, the mock trial aimed to build the capacity of national stakeholders in relation to challenges that may arise during the investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of crimes related to ICSANT, and to raise awareness on the importance of becoming party to, and fully implementing the Convention.  The event was co-hosted with Albania with the financial and in-kind support of Canada.