CNS News & Views: July 2022

Middlebury Institute of International Studies

July 2022

“Vienna Issues” and the 10th NPT Review Conference

Ahead of the Tenth NPT Review Conference, the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Nonproliferation (VCDNP) and CNS held a high-level diplomatic workshop in Vienna, Austria. The workshop was attended by over 50 senior diplomats and experts from international organizations and civil society. The workshop focused on the “Vienna Issues” of nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, nuclear security, and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology.

Participants discussed key challenges in these areas, potential impacts on the debates at the upcoming Review Conference, and opportunities for progress. Topics covered include how the Review Conference can be an opportunity to push for the universalization of comprehensive safeguards agreements and additional protocols, the amendment or rescission of small quantities protocols to safeguards agreements, how the NPT’s Pillar III on peaceful uses can serve as “common ground” as an uncontested issue for cooperation, and how the continued Russian invasion of Ukraine, including attacks on civilian nuclear facilities and threats of use of nuclear weapons, might affect the Review Conference and the nonproliferation regime writ large.

Summer School for Diplomats in Latin America and the Caribbean

The 8th Nuclear Disarmament and Nonproliferation Summer School for Latin American and Caribbean diplomats was held in Mexico City from July 11 – 15 2022. As in past years, CNS partnered with the Mexican Foreign Ministry, the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL), and the Matheas Romero Institute in Mexico to offer the course.

For the first time, the course included a session on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy with particular emphasis on the role of nuclear science and technology in developing countries, as well as a session on the nexus between nuclear terrorism, nuclear security, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The course also included a highly inspiring panel discussion on the contributions of women to nuclear nonproliferation, disarmament, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and nuclear security. This panel focused not only on the importance of gender parity in disarmament related delegations and government departments (and the leading role of governments from the regions to this end), but also discussed the changing paradigm in international relations led by feminist foreign policy governments such as Mexico.

Podcast with Louis Reitmann and High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu

VCDNP Research Associate Louis Reitmann appeared on an episode of the Disarmament Today podcast by the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). Together with High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu and multi award-winning, young filmmaker Kasha Slavner, Louis discussed what is next for youth activism in disarmament.

This episode marked a milestone in the #Leaders4Tomorrow program, part of UNODA’s #youth4disarmament initiative. As #Leaders4Tomorrow, Louis Reitmann and Kasha Slavner have learned how disarmament intersects with other global challenges, such as gender inequality and climate change, and networked with emerging disarmament experts and activists worldwide. During this episode, Louis stressed that including people from diverse backgrounds in positions of authority must not stop at “visual” representation, and that women, people of color, queer people, and other marginalized groups must be included in decision making on security issues. Louis called on the UN and all Member States to not only consult young people in their policy and decision-making processes, but also to open higher-level jobs in policy and diplomacy to younger people.

Nuclear Ban Treaty Book Launch

On June 24, 2022, the VCDNP and the Toda Peace Institute hosted a book launch for The Nuclear Ban Treaty: A Transformational Reframing of the Global Nuclear Order, edited by Toda Peace Institute Senior Research Fellow Ramesh Thakur.

Presenting the book, Dr. Thakur celebrated the adoption of the TPNW in 2017 as the most significant event in nuclear weapons history since the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1970. In the book, the authors observe that, while the risk of nuclear escalation is growing, the NPT may have reached the limits of its normative potential to advance the disarmament goal set out in its Article VI. The TPNW was born out of frustration over the lack of implementation of Article VI, and in this way, completes the NPT, said Dr. Thakur. He argued that the NPT and the TPNW are legally compatible, and counterarguments presented by states possessing nuclear weapons and those relying on them for their defense are not persuasive.

Work with us at CNS!

The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) is seeking to hire up to three high-caliber Research Associates. It is envisioned that at least two of the three research associates will work from the CNS Washington, DC office. These positions will focus in particular on the Center’s projects on global trade in proliferation-sensitive commodities, sanctions and country-specific proliferation issues. The positions may alternatively or additionally focus on nonproliferation analysis concerning North Korea, Russia or China. The positions are fixed-term positions for at least 12 months, but may be renewed based on available funding. These are regular, full-time staff positions.

Spread the word! We can’t wait to work with you!