Workshop and Round Table

Strenghtening Nuclear Security, Safety and Safeguards Culture: Infrastructure Development and Capacity Building in the Arab Countries

April 25th-26th, 2010

League of Arab States (LAS), Cairo, Egypt

Organized by

League of Arab States (LAS), Cairo, Egypt

In cooperation with

International Working Group-Landau Network Centro Volta (IWG-LNCV), Como, Italy

Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA), Tunis, Tunisia

Preamble

The goal of this event is to promote initiatives aimed at enhancing existing networks/centers, securing the human and technical resources necessary for creating and sustaining a responsible nuclear energy infrastructure, and adapting international concepts for a nuclear safety and security culture in the Arab countries.

In order to address future nuclear energy expansion in the Arab states, the promotion  of best practice, professional responsibility and expertise and international standards in educational programs is needed.

Furthermore, the enhancement of existing or emerging nuclear networks for civilian purposes would be the concrete answer to the new holistic approach to non-proliferation as well as the practical way to provide an effective “twinning” of the AAEA infrastructures with peer centers in countries that have a civilian nuclear capacity.

This Workshop and Round Table will explore the national/multilateral/international initiatives that best serve the needs of the LAS countries.

A simultaneous translation Arab/English will be provided.

Round Table

Enhancing Responsibilities from the States Towards the

Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty

April 14th 2010

Italian Embassy

3000 Whitehaven Street,

N.W. Washington, DC
US

Organized by

Landau Network – Centro Volta (LNCV), Como, Italy

Italian Embassy, Washington, DC, US

in collaboration with

The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS),

Washington DC, US

 and with the support of

Unit of Policy Planning (UAP) of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The scope of this Round Table (RT) is to have a serious debate among experts and senior public figures involved in non proliferation work as part of the preparation for the next NPT RevCon. The purpose of the debate would be to identify different points of view on the key disagreements that are likely to surface during the RevCon between and among the P-5 and the NNWS. In particular the key questions that the debate would address are the following:

1.      What is the correct understanding of rights and responsibilities pertaining to NWS and NNWS under the NPT?

2.      What have NWS and NNWS done so far to meet these responsibilities, however conceived?

3.      Are the action undertaken by both categories of States thus far adequate to their obligations?

4.      What other action ought to be pursued by each category of signatories to realize these obligations?

5.      What other measures or initiatives will be required by both sides to strengthen the NPT regime over time?

The moderated debate would address these issues in an oral form with back-and-forth among the participants.

Side Event to the Meeting of State Parties of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention

International Cooperation, Biosecurity and the Education of Life Scientists

Salle XXIII, Palais des Nations, Geneva

7 December 2009

Organized by

The National Academies, US

National Defense Medical College, Japan

University of Bradford, UK

International Working Group – Landau Network Centro Volta, Italy

organized by

Landau Network Centro Volta (LNCV), Como, Italy

promoted  and supported by

General Directorate for Mediterranean and Middle-East (GDMM)
of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Rome, Italy

Agenda and Participants List

Biological Workshop and Round Table

Biosecurity, Biosafety and Dual-Use Risks: Trends, Challenges and Innovative Solutions

November 13th - 14th, 2009

Villa del Grumello

Como, Italy

Organized by

International Working Group - Landau Network-Centro Volta (IWG-LNCV), Como, Italy

In cooperation with

Bradford Disarmament Research Centre (BDRC), University of Bradford, UK

With the support of

Prevention of and Fight against Crime Programme
European Commission - Directorate-General Justice, Freedom and Security
US Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF)

International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC)

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Lombardy Region, Italy

And under the patronage of

National Research Council (NRC), Italy

The IWG-LNCV Biological Workshop and Round Table on “Biosecurity, Biosafety and Dual-Use Risks: Trends, Challenges and Innovative Solutions”  was held in two and half working days on 13 and 14 November 2009 in Como, at the Villa del Grumello on Lake Como shores. It was organized following the tradition of annual Workshops on Biosecurity and Biosafety of IWG-LNCV.

The 2009 meetings brought together a group of high level representatives from different backgrounds and converging on the discussion on issues of biosecurity, biosafety and dual use risks. National and international governmental organizations were represented; scientists, researchers and administrators from leading centers of excellence on research and laboratory containment worldwide also participated; academia and scientific universities were also represented with participants including professors of life sciences, course coordinators but also bioethicists and experts of international and penal law; finally, experts on policy making and from the “security community” participated, particularly on scientific and non-scientific aspects of safety, security and prevention.

The main aims of the Workshop and Round Table have been:

·         To present institutional initiatives to strengthen Biosafety and Biosecurity Frameworks and regimes internationally;

·         To present and discuss potential measures to facilitate and ensure the spread and the developing of life science and biotechnology around the world, guaranteeing at the same time safety and security;

·         To present various experiences and to discuss the issue of education and awareness raising initiatives for scientists, especially the “new generations”, that are recognized to be essential part of the prevention process in a highly dual use field such as the life sciences;

·         To present the activities of research and prevention institutes located in several areas of the world and the potentialities of networking that could facilitate research development and cooperation, and spread safety and security best practice;

·         To engage in a discussion on how improve links and cooperation among institutional organizations, industry, professional associations, academic community, and enhance the various parts of the “web of prevention”, including legal frameworks, oversight, education, disease preparedness; and also the move towards new partnerships, public/private and science/security, to promote science development while responding to Biosafety and Biosecurity concerns.

Agenda Bio 2009.pdf (136,92 KB)
List of Participants Bio 2009.pdf (113,51 KB)

See also:

Promoting Sustainable Education and Awareness Raising on Biosecurity and Dual use

Side Event to the Meeting of State Parties of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
International Cooperation, Biosecurity and the Education of Life Scientists 
US National Academies of Science & University of Bradford & National Defense Medical College & Landau Network - Centro Volta