CNS News & Views: June 2022

Middlebury Institute of International Studies

June 2022

CNS Convenes NPT Diplomats in Annecy

Over 60 senior diplomats, government and international organization officials, and experts met in Annecy, France from June 10-11, 2022, for the traditional James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) NPT Diplomatic Workshop. The topic for this year’s meeting was “The 10th NPT Review Conference: Prospects and Pitfalls.” The workshop provided a timely opportunity for Review Conference President-designate Gustavo Zlauvinen to consult with key officials in advance of the Rev Con, which is scheduled for four weeks in August at the United Nations in New York. Among the featured speakers at the Annecy workshop were Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization, and Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

The workshop was the principal opportunity for heads of delegations and the Rev Con president-designate to meet collectively to take stock of the major challenges awaiting them in New York in August. One can only hope that the deliberations at the actual Review Conference will be as constructive as were those in Annecy.

Summer Undergraduate Nonproliferation Program Convenes in a Hybrid Format

The 2022 Summer Undergraduate Nonproliferation Fellowship Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) started on June 6 in a hybrid format. This year, 12 outstanding undergraduate fellows, including two international students, were selected and represent some of the nation’s top schools, including Indiana University, Brown University, the College of William and Mary, Middlebury College, Pomona College, Trinity Washington University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.

During the summer program, fellows receive invaluable on-the-job training and work closely with CNS experts on ongoing research and education projects. Fellows also participate in an engaging lecture series that covers issues relating to nonproliferation, disarmament, and arms control. CNS remains steadfast in its commitment to nonproliferation and disarmament education and continues to effectively train future leaders to combat the spread of weapons of mass destruction by rethinking the possibilities of communication and learning despite challenging circumstances.

Workshop Held in DC on the Constitutional History of the NPT

The DC office of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) hosted a two-day workshop in June. Over the course of the workshop, participants shared presentations on their respective areas of research and engaged in discussions on topics that ranged from the role of Czechoslovakia in the 1960s Eighteen Nation Disarmament Committee negotiations to Israel’s historically unique relationship with the nonproliferation regime. The workshop provided an opportunity for the consortium members to discuss next steps in the publication process.

Participants at the workshop included scholars from Sweden, India, South Africa, the UK, Mexico, Israel, the US, and more. The workshop took place in a hybrid format in order to facilitate the involvement of participants outside the area. After Covid-related delays to the project, CNS was pleased to host this workshop as one of the first in-person events for the DC office since early 2020.

A Call for Applications: Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Mentorship Programme 2nd Edition

The Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non‑Proliferation (VCDNP) and the International Affairs Institute (IAI) invite women undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students as well as recent graduates to apply to a Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Mentorship Programme. The mentorship program, which will run from September 15, 2022 to May 15, 2023, seeks to engage young women in the field of non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament, and to promote awareness about these issues.

The program will pair successful applicants with well-known experts to establish a mentoring relationship. Participants will also be expected to attend select conferences, including the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC) Annual Conference on November 14-15, 2022 in Brussels. Additionally, networking and career and skills development opportunities will be offered through seminars, workshops, and other activities. The deadline for applications is July 8, 2022.

Apply here

Advancing Access to Radiotherapy in Middle-and Low-Income Countries

Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) is a type of cancer treatment where high doses of ionizing radiation are delivered using machines, such as Cobalt-60 (Co-60 teletherapy units and linear accelerators (LINACs), that destroy cancer cells and limit cell growth. These machines use radioactive sources and electricity respectively to produce radiation.

There is a staggering shortage of radiotherapy machines in middle-and low-income countries (LMICs), and in sub-Saharan Africa there are more than 20 countries that do not have any access to radiotherapy treatments. The Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non‑Proliferation (VCDNP) recently conducted a new case study on advancing access to radiotherapy in LMICs and the reasons behind this equity gap. The objectives of this case study included raising awareness of the equity gap in access to cancer care, examining the challenges to accessing radiotherapy in LMICs, and drawing on lessons learned by Zambia in making recommendations on improving access to radiotherapy in LMICs.