The Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) will formally enter into force on Sunday, a month after the International Atomic Energy Agency announced the measure had received the necessary number of ratifications.
“The entry into force of the Amendment demonstrates the determination of the international community to act together to strengthen nuclear security globally,” IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in a statement Friday. “However, there are still a large number of countries which are not parties to the Amendment. So I continue to urge all States to adhere to this important legal instrument.”
The CPPNM, which entered into force in 1987 with 153 state parties, is a legally binding agreement that requires physical protection of nuclear material for peaceful purposes during international transport. The accord was amended in 2005 to also require protection of nuclear material in domestic use, transport, and storage, as states must develop a physical protection regime for nuclear material and facilities in their territory. It also covers offenses such as nuclear material smuggling and nuclear facility sabotage.
A rush of ratifications in the days leading up to the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., brought the amended convention closer to entry into force. Ratification by Uruguay and Nicaragua fulfilled the requirement that two-thirds of the state parties to the convention, or 102 state parties, ratify the amendment. The IAEA said it will guide member states in implementation of the amendment, and that state parties are set to convene in five years to review progress.
In his comments, Amano urged increased support from IAEA member states for the U.N. agency’s nuclear security work, which includes providing nuclear detection technology to nations, training law enforcement and border protection personnel, and assisting partner governments in strengthening their security measures. The IAEA nuclear security and safety budget for 2016 totals just over €34.7 million ($39.6 million).
“The IAEA’s responsibilities in nuclear security will grow in the coming years. We need sustained political and financial support from our Member States,” Amano said. “I therefore request all Member States of the IAEA to be represented at ministerial level at the International Conference on Nuclear Security, which we will hold in December.”