International joint efforts to address training needs in nuclear security

Full text: Working within the framework of coordinated international efforts to combat nuclear and radiological illicit trafficking, three main donor organizations have recognized the training needs of the recipient institutions and in particular the Front Line Officers (FLO's). Given the tremendous demand for training and the limited resources available to each organization, a pilot joint training session was held in Ukraine whereby the United States' Second Line of Defense (SLD) program, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) brought their complementary expertise. The synergy of the individual training programs paved the way to a successful session, as reflected in the satisfaction of the participants. The evaluation showed that these courses can be brought closer together to become more effective. A clear strength of the joint approach was in allowing the participants to address the three organizations at the same time. Additional joint training sessions will be planned, based on the success of this coordinated approach. The first part of the paper will report on the content of the training activity hold in the Ukraine in 2008. A range of topics on detection and response based on the competences of the three supporting organizations have been covered. The follow-up and future efforts will subsequently be discussed in the second part of the paper, building on the successful Ukrainian experience. In particular, expanding the available training and strengthening the coordination and cooperation at an international level will be addressed, given that the increasing need for a wide range of training will continue to be a key issue worldwide. (author)