This Webinar, kindly supported by the Weapons Threat Reduction Program of Global Affairs Canada, is the third follow-up event after a series of 4 virtual projects organized by PGA IPSP in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean in 2021, aimed at facilitating Legislators in encouraging those States that have not yet joined the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials (CPPNM) and its Amendment (ACPPNM), to take the necessary steps to now do so. Government officials from the Nuclear Research Institute of the Philippines, the National Authority for the Prohibition of Chemical, Nuclear, Biological and Radiological Weapons of Cambodia, as well as from Global Affairs Canada, participated in this follow-up activity.
The meeting was opened by Mr. Peter Barcroft, Senior Director of PGA's International Peace and Security Program, who thanked participants for attending this session, in particular given the exigencies of the ongoing pandemic that is currently also affecting the Asian region. The recent invasion of Ukraine, which has already witnessed some alarming developments impacting nuclear and radiological security, was also highlighted early on as an indication of the importance, and urgency, surrounding the need for global coordination in this sphere.
Seeking sustained engagement by women parliamentarians in this arena, taking into account also the disproportionate adverse impact of nuclear and radiological leaks/exposure on the physical and mental health and well-being of women, was also a recurrent theme of this event. The Parliamentary Handbook published by PGA in 2021 on Promoting the Role of Women Parliamentarians in Preventing the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) was once again drawn to the attention of participants. In the PowerPoint presentation delivered, the status of individual Asian States with respect to the three treaties in question was also addressed.
Before concluding, Mr. Barcroft talked about the Outcome Document of the Conference of the Parties to the Amendment of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material 2022, which took place in Vienna, Austria, from March 28 to 1 April 2022.
PGA’s IPSP Team will continue to stay in contact with the Webinar Participants/Registrants in the coming weeks and months to encourage respective follow-up actions.
