NSGEG Report Launch and Press Briefing

Alongside the “International Conference on Nuclear Security” hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), members of the Nuclear Security Governance Experts Group (NSGEG) will release two new publications on countries’ efforts at implementing or strengthening nuclear security practices.

The first report, “International Nuclear Security Peer Reviews: Making the IAEA IPPAS General and Sustainable” by Anita Nilsson, Caroline Jorant, and John Bernhard,  reviews the critical elements of a generalized and sustainable IAEA peer review system and provides recommendations that, if implemented, will strengthen the IAEA service and place the international peer review in a new relation with the national assessments of operators’ compliance with their licenses of operation.

NSGEG experts will also release a working paper on states’ implementation of the Strengthening Nuclear Security Implementation (SNSI) initiative. The SNSI, now IAEA Information Circular 869, commits signatories to subscribe to the IAEA’s Fundamentals of Nuclear Security. This working paper assembles data, as self-reported by SNSI participants, and examines how countries are making progress on their commitments to this initiative.

The following experts will provide updates on key global nuclear security issues, as well as insight into critical issues and developments on the table for future action at the upcoming Summit and beyond:

Kenneth Luongo is the president and founder of the Partnership for Global Security (PGS). From 1997–2004, he also was a senior visiting fellow and visiting research collaborator with Princeton University’s Program on Science and Global Security.

Anita Nilsson is the former director of the Office of Nuclear Security in the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security at the IAEA, where she was responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing the IAEA´s Nuclear Security Plans, the latest for 2010–2013, to prevent, detect, and respond to acts of nuclear terrorism and threats thereof.

Caroline Jorant is president of SDRI Consulting which is focused on international relations in the energy sector with a special emphasis in nuclear energy.

John Bernhard has served as ambassador and permanent representative of Denmark to the IAEA (2005–2011), member of the IAEA Board of Governors (2009–2011), and vice-chairman of the IAEA Board (2010–2011).