African Nuclear Security Update, Volume 1 Issue 2

Volume 1, Issue 2, September 2011

Welcome to Issue 2 of the African Nuclear Security Update. Issue 1 provided readers with an introduction to the WMD Project’s work on nuclear security in Africa and offered a space for stakeholders to publicise their activities and publications in the field of nuclear security. Issue 2 features the latest WMD project publications, and highlights important arms control events from October to December 2011.

A number of key disarmament and non-proliferation events took place in August and September including the International Day Against Nuclear Tests on 29 August and the IAEA General Conference, which concluded on 23 September. The next three months are no different, with several international meetings taking place including the United Nations First Committee commencing on 3 October and the Wilton Park Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime from 3 - 5 October.

Developments on the African continent over the last two months include Ghana’s ratification of both the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Treaty of Pelindaba (Africa’s nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty), Guinea’s ratification of the CTBT, and Nigeria’s revival of the country’s Atomic Energy Commission.

Publications

Africa’s Policy Imperatives Issue 8, August 2011: Seoul Searching: Africa’s Role in the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit, Amelia Broodryk (Download)

ISS Today: 24 August - The Return of South Africa’s Highly Enriched Uranium to the US in Context, NoÃ«l Stott (Click Here)

ISS Today: 31 August - Africa’s Contribution to a World Free of Nuclear Tests, Amelia Broodryk (Click Here)

Important Events:

3 - 5 October: Wilton Park Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime: Bridging the North-South Divide, Wilton Park (Click Here)
3 October - 1 November: United Nations General Assembly First Committee, New York (Click Here)
14 - 18 November: International Conference on Research Reactors: Safe Management and Effective Utilization, Rabat (Click Here)
1 November: Deadline for BWC Young Scientist Essay Contest: Responsible Conduct in the Life Science (Click Here)
28 November - 2 December: 16th Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, The Hague (Click Here)
5 - 22 December: 7th Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention, Geneva (Click Here)