Fact Sheet: Joint Statement on National Nuclear Detection Architecture

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                        

FACT SHEET

NATIONAL-LEVEL NUCLEAR SECURITY DETECTION ARCHITECTURE

Effectively coordinating domestic capabilities to counter nuclear smuggling requires a national-level approach for the prevention, detection and response to nuclear materials out of regulatory control.  A national-level nuclear detection architecture provides such a framework to integrate a comprehensive set of technical and non-technical detection capabilities, and the associated resources and infrastructure to improve a nation’s ability to detect nuclear and radiological threats.

In support of this objective, Finland has sponsored a Joint Statement on National Nuclear Detection Architectures to underscore that a national-level architecture is a necessary component for nuclear security and that countries commit to leveraging available resources for improving such architectures over time.

As a signatory to this Statement, the United States will seek to improve international awareness and understanding of the importance of a national-level nuclear detection architecture.  The United States will also advocate for and support the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency to conduct periodic review workshops to share best practices, challenges, mitigation strategies, and long-term sustainability approaches that may be common to all participating nations.

Based on a risk-informed approach, the U.S. continues to strengthen its nuclear detection architecture through layered, defense-in-depth detection countermeasures that balance border security with enhanced detection countermeasures for interior law enforcement.