Dutch support for US project in Kazakhstan to combat nuclear terrorism

News item | 04-05-2011

The Netherlands is contributing €400,000 to a US programme to combat nuclear terrorism. Today in Washington, Dutch deputy ambassador Gerald van der Wulp signed an agreement with the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The money will go to a project in Kazakhstan.

The NNSA works with countries outside the US to prevent the uncontrolled proliferation of nuclear and radiological materials that terrorists could use against the international community. The Dutch funds will be used to train staff at the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and New Technology to identify and secure vulnerable sources of radiological materials. The money and training will provide the Kazakh government with the skills and tools it needs to locate such sources, secure them, and clean them up.

The Dutch funds will be spent effectively and efficiently, since the US has built up considerable experience and expertise in running the programme. In consultation with the Kazakh authorities, the Netherlands and the US have drawn up priorities. Kazakh territory still contains many remnants of the former Soviet Union's nuclear programme.

The US is working on similar projects with Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

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