On 3 December 2024, Seychelles deposited its instrument of ratification of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) with the United Nations Secretary-General. On 2 January 2025, the country will become the 126th party to the Convention.
The relevance of ICSANT to prevent and suppress illicit conduct involving nuclear or other radioactive material should not be underestimated: any country, even small island countries, can be impacted by these types of acts, regardless of their size, geographic location, or existence of a nuclear infrastructure. It is thus essential that all States adhere to this international legal instrument in order for it to achieve its full potential.
Seychelles’ adherence to ICSANT is the result of extensive interactions between the country and UNODC. UNODC promoted the Convention and its benefits at several events which were attended by representatives of Seychelles, including through the UNODC online regional workshop on the universalization and effective implementation of ICSANT for English-speaking African countries not party to ICSANT, which was held in September 2023. In June 2024, a member of the National Assembly and a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Seychelles actively participated in the second seminar to promote the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (A/CPPNM) and ICSANT, jointly conducted by UNODC and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Additionally, UNODC had the opportunity to deliver presentations on ICSANT and further engage with participants from Seychelles attending a number of events organized by partner organizations, such as the IAEA’s Technical Meeting of the Points of Contact for Integrated Nuclear Security Sustainability Plans (INSSPs) (October 2023) and Regional Workshop to Coordinate the Implementation of INSSPs (April 2024), as well as the national parliamentary session on nuclear security for Seychelles organized by Parliamentarians for Global Action in July 2023.
This ratification follows several years of assistance by UNODC with Seychelles benefiting from a number of focused training activities delivered by UNODC in cooperation with the IAEA. UNODC provided further advisory assistance to Seychelles to raise awareness on the benefits of adherence amongst key national officials to support the ratification process.
UNODC continues to promote adherence to this Convention and work towards its universalization thanks to three complementary projects funded, respectively, by Canada, the European Union and the United States of America.
More information on the topic:
IAEA and UNODC Join Forces in Promoting the Legal Framework for Nuclear Security (2024)
