Country Actions: October 2022 Update

NTI Index Country Action Tracker

Updated October 5, 2022

Countries Are Taking Action to Reduce Stockpiles of Weapons-Useable Nuclear Materials and Strengthen the Global Architecture

This webpage lists actions countries have taken since March 31, 2020, when data gathering for the 2020 NTI Nuclear Security Index (NTI Index) closed.

Since March 31, 2020, countries have taken steps to strengthen the global nuclear security architecture, increase transparency, and reduce quantities of weapons-usable nuclear materials. Countries have taken the following actions (newly updated actions in bold):

  • Reduced quantities of weapons-useable nuclear materials
  • Conducted peer reviews of nuclear security arrangements
  • Ratified key nuclear security treaties
  • Submitted information about laws and regulations to the IAEA under Article 14 of the amended Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM)

These actions demonstrate that countries continue to make progress to strengthen their own nuclear security, enhance transparency, and support the global nuclear security architecture.

In addition, on October 21, 2020, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health took regulatory action to phase out Cesium-137 blood irradiators by 2025, introduced a five-year action plan to prevent radioactive sources from being used for malicious purposes. This action will be reflected in the next edition of the Radioactive Source Security Assessment.

How to Use the Tracker

The table includes actions related to a subset of the subindicators in the NTI Index that can be obtained without the need for in-depth country research.

The table identifies the relevant subindicator number and name, the country (with link to Index country page), the action taken and date of action, and the source (with link, where available).

The tracking spreadsheet that allows the user to sort and filter information is available for download here. Users can submit actions for inclusion in the next update to Jack Brosnan at [email protected].

Updates as of October 5, 2022

Index SubindicatorCountryAction/DateSource
1.1.1
Quantities of materials
No update
1.3.1
Material production/ elimination trends
AustriaWorked with the United States to remove a small quantity of plutonium from the IAEA’s Office of Safeguards Analytical Services (SGAS) Nuclear Material Laboratory (announced April 1, 2022)Public Announcement
CanadaWorked with the United States to repatriate 161kg of HEU from Chalk River Laboratories to the United States (announced January 25, 2021)Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
IranIran has accumulated 43 kilograms (95 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% (announced May 30, 2022)Public Announcement
JapanWorked with the United States to repatriate 45kg of HEU from the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (announced August 9, 2022)U.S. Department of Energy
KazakhstanRemoved remaining 2.9kg of HEU from the IGR research reactor in Kurchatov for downblending into LEU; committed to convert HEU-fueled research reactor at Kazakhstan’s National Nuclear Center in 2021 (announced September 22, 2020)U.S. Department of Energy
NetherlandsEnded the use of HEU targets for the production of Mo-99 at the High Flux Reactor (HFR)Public Announcement
United StatesCertified that there is sufficient supply fo Mo-99 produced with LEU and therefore, no more HEU will be exported for this purposeU.S. Department of Energy
3.1.1 Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM)AngolaRatified September 21, 2020IAEA
CongoAcceded September 3, 2021IAEA
EritreaRatified March 13, 2020IAEA
ZimbabweAcceded September 20, 2021IAEA
3.1.2 CPPNM AmendmentAngolaRatified September 21, 2020IAEA
BrazilRatified March 18, 2022IAEA
EritreaRatified March 13, 2020IAEA
MalawiRatified February 11, 2022IAEA
OmanRatified June 28, 2022IAEA
PhilippinesRatified June 16, 2021IAEA
RwandaRatified September 23, 2021IAEA
3.1.3 International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT)
BotswanaRatified July 12, 2021UN
St. Kitts and Nevis*Ratified August 13, 2020UN
3.2.1
Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT)
No update
3.2.2
Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction
No update
3.2.4
IAEA Nuclear Security Fund Contributions
No update
3.2.6
Centers of Excellence
No update
3.2.8
IAEA Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB)
RwandaJoined the ITDB on October 4, 2020IAEA
Antigua and Barbuda*Joined ITDB on March 24, 2021IAEA
3.2.9
Nuclear Security Guidance Committee (NSGC)
No update
3.3.4
Public declarations/ reports about civilian nuclear materials
BelgiumSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on May 18, 2020IAEA
BelgiumSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on May 12, 2021IAEA
FranceSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on August 28, 2020IAEA
FranceSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on September 2, 2021IAEA
GermanySubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on August 28, 2020IAEA
GermanySubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on September 10, 2021IAEA
JapanSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on September 4, 2020IAEA
JapanSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on July 27, 2021IAEA
RussiaSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on November 17, 2021IAEA
RussiaSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on November 24, 2020IAEA
SwitzerlandSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on August 20, 2020IAEA
SwitzerlandSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on February 26, 2021IAEA
United KingdomSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on November 24, 2020IAEA
United KingdomSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on September 27, 2021IAEA
United StatesSubmitted INFCIRC/549 declaration on October 12, 2021IAEA
3.3.6
Review of Security Arrangements
JordanThe IAEA conducted an INSServ from 20 to 30 June 2022, was the first such IAEA mission in Jordan.IAEA
UkraineThe IAEA concluded a mission to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine and the surrounding Exclusion Zone after carrying out planned nuclear safety, security and safeguards activities there. June 1, 2022Public Announcement
3.3.7 International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) missionFinlandThe International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission, conducted from 6 to 17 June, was the third such mission in Finland.IAEA
3.4.1 Information Circular (INFCIRC) 869No update
3.4.2
Other nuclear security INFCIRCs (899, 901, 904, 905, 908, 909, 912, 917, and 918)
SloveniaSubscribed to INFCIRC/908 on October 7, 2020IAEA
4.2.2
National Framework for CPPNM Amendment (Article 14)
AlgeriaSubmitted Article 14 information, October 16, 2020IAEA
ArmeniaSubmitted Article 14 information September 8, 2020IAEA
AustriaSubmitted Article 14 information, January 5, 2021+IAEA
BelgiumSubmitted Article 14 information March 15, 2022IAEA
CanadaSubmitted Article 14 information, August 10, 2021+IAEA
ChinaSubmitted Article 14 information March 25, 2022IAEA
ColombiaSubmitted Article 14 information September 8, 2022IAEA
GabonSubmitted Article 14 information March 7, 2022IAEA
GeorgiaSubmitted Article 14 information, November 4, 2021IAEA
GuatemalaSubmitted Article 14 information, August 24, 2020++IAEA
JordanSubmitted Article 14 information, October 13, 2020IAEA
Kyrgyz RepublicSubmitted Article 14 information January 14, 2022IAEA
LuxembourgSubmitted Article 14 information, August 13, 2020IAEA
MadagascarSubmitted Article 14 information, August 12, 2020IAEA
MaliSubmitted Article 14 information May 10, 2022IAEA
NigerSubmitted Article 14 information January 3, 2022IAEA
PakistanSubmitted Article 14 information, December 23, 2021IAEA
PolandSubmitted Article 14 information March 21, 2022IAEA
RussiaSubmitted Article 14 information, September 21, 2020+IAEA
Saudi ArabiaSubmitted Article 14 information, April 6, 2022IAEA
South KoreaSubmitted Article 14 information, June 7, 2021IAEA
SwedenSubmitted Article 14 information, May 11, 2020IAEA
SyriaSubmitted Article 14 information, August 26, 2020IAEA
TogoSubmitted Article 14 information, December 8, 2020++IAEA
TurkeySubmitted Article 14 information April 25, 2022IAEA
UkraineSubmitted Article 14 information April 1, 2022IAEA
United KingdomSubmitted Article 14 information March 25, 2022IAEA
UruguaySubmitted Article 14 information, July 15, 2020IAEA
4.3.1 Independent Regulatory AgencyBrazilEstablished independent regulatory authority, the Nuclear Safety National Authority (ANSN) in May 2021Public Announcement
*Country not included in the NTI Index.
+Updated Article 14 submission. Country already receives credit in the NTI Index for having previously submitted Article 14 information.
++Action taken under the original CPPNM will not receive credit in the NTI Index. The NTI Index gives credit only for actions taken under the Amended CPPNM.

Photo credit: IAEA/Flickr