Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism [GICNT]

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : Apr 4, 2022, 5:04

Terrorism in any form is dangerous. Nuclear terrorism is the most dangerous form of terrorism as it uses nuclear devices that have disastrous long-term health effects. Many countries have nuclear reactors for research and production of raw materials for designing nuclear devices. The use of nuclear devices can be devastating for any country. A joint initiative known as the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) was formed by the U.S. and Russian presidents.

Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism - Overview

Name of the Initiative

Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism

Formed by

The U.S. President and Russian President

Official Presidents when formed

U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Announced at

G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia

Announced on

15th July 2006

Purpose of the Initiative

To prevent and combat the acts of nuclear terrorism

First Meeting location

Rabat, Morocco

First Meeting held in

October 2006

Members in the Initial meeting

13 countries

Members grew to

89 partner nations

Five Official Observers of the Initiative

  1. The UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
  2. The European Union
  3. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime
  4. The International Atomic Energy Agency
  5. INTERPOL

Key Statement of Principles for GICNT

The Key Statement of Principles outlined in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism includes:

  • Security improvement of the civilian nuclear facilities.
  • Improved control and accounting of nuclear and radioactive material.
  • Research and development on faster and better ways of detecting nuclear and radioactive material.
  • Enhancing capabilities to search and confiscate illegal and unlawfully detected nuclear or radioactive material
  • Developing a national and regulatory framework for dealing with nuclear terrorism and similar activities.
  • Improving capabilities in detection, mitigation, response, and investigation in cases of a nuclear terrorist attack.
  • Facilitate confidential information sharing related to acts of nuclear terrorism.

In order to abide by the principles set by the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, it currently has three working groups under it. The working groups are dedicated to research and developing methods for dealing with nuclear and radiological material and nuclear attacks.

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Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism Working Groups

The 3 working groups include:

  • Response and Mitigation

This group is chaired by Argentina and ROK. The group works on implementation and sharing the knowledge on the best practices in response to combating nuclear attacks or radiological incidents.

  • Nuclear Forensics

This group is chaired by Netherlands and Romania. The group works on developing and standardizing the best practices in the field of nuclear forensics.

  • Nuclear Detection

This group is chaired by Cambodia. The group works on developing capabilities to detect nuclear or radioactive material effectively and provide guidance on its safe handling.

To date, the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism groups has held more than 80 workshops in 30 different countries. The plenary meeting of the group is scheduled every 1-2 years. The recent plenary meeting was held in June 2019 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism implementation and assessment meeting was held in New Delhi, India in 2017.

Terrorism, especially nuclear terrorism, is one of the worst evils plaguing humankind today. Despite global efforts to combat it for several decades, it still survives in many parts of the world as an ultimate force of destruction. Nevertheless, ventures such as the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism are crucial in instilling hope in the minds of people, making them look forward to the day we will be free of terrorism.

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FAQs on Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism [GICNT]

Q.1. Why was the reason for forming the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism?

The reason for the formation of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism was to prevent, combat, and respond to nuclear activities and terrorism.

Q.2. Which 2 nations' leaders collaborated on the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism?

The leaders of Russia and the U.S. collaborated to establish the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism.

Q.3. Which are the 3 working groups of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism announced?

The 3 working groups of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism are Nuclear detection, Nuclear Forensics, and Response and mitigation.

Q.4. How many members have partnered with the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism?

89 members are partnered with the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism [GICNT].