Comprehensive and robust legislation is a fundamental first step for the prevention and suppression of terrorist and other criminal acts involving nuclear or other radioactive material. The International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) provides States parties with a legal framework for criminalizing acts of nuclear terrorism and establishes additional mechanisms to effectively contribute to a safer world.

On 4 December 2023, UNODC held an event, the fourth within a series of online regional workshops, under the new EU Project Union Support for the universalisation and effective implementation of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT). The workshop was addressed to countries in Southeast Asia that are not yet party to ICSANT, and gathered more than 40 participants, including senior government officials, from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Opening remarks were delivered by Ms. Marjolijn van Deelen, Special Envoy for Non-Proliferation and Disarmament of the European Union. Ms. van Deelen stressed the importance of taking effective measures to prevent nuclear or other radioactive material being used for malicious purposes. She added that “This risk implies that we need to adapt our legislations with the aim to strengthen the safety and security of nuclear facilities and of the nuclear material, and that is exactly what this Convention [ICSANT] does”. Ms. van Deelen concluded her remarks byreiterating the EU’s long-standing commitment to ICSANT.

UNODC’s Deputy Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Benedikt Hoffman, stressed how the risk of theft, smuggling and sabotage is high and remarked that “ICSANT is an essential tool for preventing and suppressing terrorist and other criminal conduct involving nuclear or other radioactive material and for improving nuclear security worldwide.”

Mr. John Buchanan, Coordinator of INTERPOL’s Radiological Nuclear Terrorism Prevention Unit, provided insight from the perspective of law enforcement. He reiterated how important it is when developing criminal legislation to prevent terrorists from acquiring, using, possessing radioactive material, to engage with the end user (i.e. law enforcement). He stated that if a country is “serious about preventing international terrorists or domestic terrorists from acquiring radioactive material, it must engage with law enforcement. It must understand their needs and must provide them and empower them to do the job that the country has recruited them to do to keep the country and the region safe.”

UNODC experts provided the audience with an overview of ICSANT’s core provisions that could effectively assist States parties in preventing and suppressing terrorism and other criminal conduct involving nuclear or other radioactive material, as well as the benefits of adherence to the Convention.

Participants were also informed on how to access the various types of support that UNODC and international partners can offer, such as capacity building, legislative assistance, e-learning modules and other tools and resources.