Amman, Jordan – Representatives of the United States and Jordan met on July 20, 2017, to share perspectives on the threat of nuclear and radiological smuggling and to review their governments’ cooperation to counter that threat. Ambassador Makram Queisi led the Jordanian delegation while Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Nonproliferation Programs Phillip Dolliff led the U.S. delegation.
The discussions contributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation under a January 2016 Joint Action Plan that identifies steps for the governments to work together to prevent, detect, and respond to smuggling incidents involving nuclear and other radioactive materials. Since signing the Joint Action Plan, both sides have exchanged best practices, consulted one another on their respective organizational structures that govern nuclear security, and collaborated to equip and train Jordan’s Counter Nuclear Smuggling Team. During the meeting, both countries identified specific next steps in their cooperation.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a leader on global efforts to counter nuclear smuggling. In 2016, Jordan coordinated an international Statement of Activity and Cooperation to Counter Nuclear Smuggling, which it submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2017 along with 38 other signatories. Jordan has hosted international events on counter nuclear smuggling to promote cooperation with other countries and is also an active member of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, a voluntary multinational partnership committed to preventing, detecting, and responding to nuclear terrorism.
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