Needs assessment comes first: The IAEA's optimized approach to strengthening nuclear security

Some of the key features of the IAEA's approach to addressing countries' requests for assistance — such as targeted efforts, the efficient use of human and financial resources, and monitoring of progress and accountability — contribute to ensuring robust national nuclear security regimes. "The IAEA places the assessment of national needs at the core of its nuclear security programme," says Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Security. One of the primary IAEA mechanisms that supports the needs assessment approach is the Integrated Nuclear Security Sustainability Plan (INSSP). This comprehensive and systematic framework supports countries in identifying and prioritizing nuclear security needs, drawing on the guidance provided in the Nuclear Security Series of publications. These provide international consensus guidance on various aspects of nuclear security to support States as they work to fulfil their nuclear security responsibilities. "The recently revised INSSP strengthens its focus on sustainability and countries' ownership, and incorporates key performance indicators within the results based management approach, ensuring maximum transparency and continuous improvement," adds Buglova, highlighting that the INSSP also helps to align the IAEA's fundraising efforts through the Nuclear Security Fund. With 111 INSSPs under implementation, and an average of 20 missions conducted annually, the INSSP is making significant progress towards the further enhancement of global nuclear security. A closer look at the details of the active INSSPs shows their broad acceptance across different regions: there are 48 in the Africa region, 26 in the Asia and the Pacific region, 19 in the Europe region and 18 in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.