Additional Protocol Declaration Helper to Provide States Assistance in Meeting Nuclear Safeguards Commitments
– By April Murelio –
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has announced the launch of a new web tool to help countries implement their safeguards commitments under the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Additional Protocol (AP). Under the Additional Protocol, countries agree to declare a broader range of facilities and activities to the IAEA – making them available to inspections aimed at ensuring that civilian nuclear programs are not being diverted to military programs.
NNSA’s new AP Declaration Helper utilizes a simple, web-based interface to assist safeguards managers to determine which information to report. It provides an on-line road map for countries’ key safeguards decision-makers to help them decide which information should be submitted to the IAEA under the AP.
“The AP Declaration Helper is an excellent example of a practical tool that NNSA has developed to implement one of President Obama’s key nonproliferation priorities: strengthening the international nuclear safeguards system,” said Kenneth E. Baker, NNSA’s Principal Assistant Deputy Administrator for the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. “By making it easier for countries to bring their Additional Protocol into force, NNSA’s AP Declaration Helper will help keep the American people safe by preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
The AP Declaration Helper was developed by NNSA’s International Nuclear Safeguards and Engagement Program (INSEP) with support from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
INSEP has used the AP Declaration Helper for the past year on a trial basis with a several international partners. After incorporating comments from these partners and the IAEA, NNSA announced today that INSEP is now making the AP Declaration helper available to all IAEA member states interested in bringing the AP into force in their own country.
NNSA announced the full launch of AP Declaration Helper during the 51st Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) in Baltimore.
Visit NNSA’s AP Declaration Helper at http://nnsa.energy.gov/aphelper
INSEP is a key component of NNSA’s Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI), a robust, multi-year program to develop the policies, concepts, technologies, expertise, and international infrastructure necessary to strengthen and sustain the international safeguards system. INSEP draws on the unique expertise of the DOE and NNSA national laboratories to engage partner countries to improve the application of international safeguards through all stages of nuclear development.
Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a separately organized agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; works to reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the United States and abroad. Visit www.nnsa.doe.gov for more information.