The International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) helps prevent radioactive materials from falling into the wrong hands. While such materials are widely used across Africa in medicine, industry, and agriculture, less than half of African States are party to ICSANT.
As part of its efforts to promote ICSANT, UNODC conducted a visit to the United Republic of Tanzania on 26 October 2022. The visit was comprised of high-level bilateral consultations with the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, during which the counterparts discussed the roles of respective national stakeholders in the process of adherence to ICSANT, benefits of joining the Convention and its synergies with the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). UNODC also delivered a presentation on its legal and technical assistance services, which can be tailored to the United Republic of Tanzania’s needs, as well as made available to both offices a non‑official copy of ICSANT translated into Swahili.
Prior to the bilateral consultations, UNODC contributed to a national workshop to raise awareness on the Amendment to the CPPNM organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission. During the event, UNODC experts presented on the provisions of ICSANT, the benefits of joining it, and UNODC’s technical and legislative assistance available in that regard, as well as moderated break-out groups to discuss a fictional case that required the application of the CPPNM and its Amendment. UNODC also stressed the synergies between the Amendment and ICSANT. On the margins of the workshop, UNODC held bilateral consultations with representatives from the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, the Office of the Solicitor General and the Prime Minister’s Office.
The national visit and UNODC’s participation in the workshop were made possible thanks to funding by the European Union.