In collaboration with the National Assembly of Suriname and with kind support from Global Affairs Canada, PGA’s International Peace and Security Program organized a National Parliamentary Session on October 27, 2023. This activity aimed to engage parliamentarians in promoting nuclear and radiological security in Suriname.
One of the primary objectives of the workshop was to raise awareness about the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT), the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM), and its Amendment. It is noteworthy that Suriname is not yet a State Party to ICSANT, CPPNM, and CPPNM/A. Members of the National Assembly and relevant government ministries participated, including the Hon. Speaker, Mr. Marinus Bee, and, Colonel Mitchell Labadie, Adviser of Minister of Defense. Mr. Peter Barcroft, Senior Director of the PGA International Peace and Security Program, also had a courtesy call with Hon. Speaker Marinus Bee on October 26, 2023.
The participants benefited from two in-depth virtual presentations delivered by experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The experts elucidated the main provisions of the ICSANT, the CPPNM, and its Amendment, as well as the numerous benefits of adhering to these essential international treaties. Mr. Peter Barcroft, Senior Director of the PGA International Peace and Security Program, also delivered a presentation on the disproportionate impact of nuclear and radiological weapons and materials on women in non-fatal instances. These presentations were followed by a question-and-answer session, during which several parliamentarians asked questions, sought clarifications, and requested reassurances concerning the three international treaties.
The workshop concluded with the identification of several potential Action Points aimed at facilitating further discussions and decisions among the participants. Following the organization of this activity, substantive follow-up is already underway to progress the process of accession to ICSANT by Suriname.
