Security of material

Full text: From the early days of discovery and experimentation with nuclear science, nuclear and radioactive materials have held extraordinary potential for being of great benefit to humankind, as well as for causing significant harm. For the past forty years, the IAEA has played an important role in ensuring that nuclear technologies and materials are used only for peaceful purposes. The Agency's safeguards programme has been providing assurances that States honour their undertakings to use nuclear facilities and materials for peaceful purposes only. The potential of nuclear materials and other radioactive materials being used in subversive activities, such as theft, illicit trafficking, sabotage and threats thereof, has been recognized by the international community. The tragic events in New York have given new light to and increased concern for this potential. No target may be considered immune from terrorism. Since 1993, States have confirmed over 370 cases of illicit trafficking. Information is also available on potential attempts of and actual acts of sabotage. For any State, the first step in ensuring the security of their materials is an effective national system. Such a system must contain multiple elements, including physical protection measures, material accountability arrangements, reliable detection capabilities, and plans for rapid and effective response when material is found to be lost, stolen or otherwise not under proper control. The system must also cover illegal waste dumping and other activities that would result in the release of radioactive material into the environment. All these measures should be based on well founded legal and regulatory structures. In many cases, the responsibility for these various elements lies with different bodies, and co-operation between them is vital to the success of the national system. The Agency's programme Security of Material aims at being of service to States in their efforts to upgrade their security measures for nuclear and radioactive material - through the transfer of technology, exchange of information, assistance and training in the implementation of internationally accepted standards. The paper gives further details on present activities. It also looks into the Agency's process to review its programmes in the light of the request by the General Conference to the IAEA Director General to 'review thoroughly the activities and programmes of the Agency with a view to strengthening the Agency work relevant to preventing acts of terrorism involving nuclear materials and other radioactive materials' (GC(45)/RES/14). (author)