Sessions 1&2: Country Report

Moderator:
Ms. Noraini Binti Razali, Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB), Malaysia

9 FNCA member countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) presented their country reports that included the updates on the developments and improvements since the 2018 Workshop regarding the implementation of safeguards and nuclear security, the promotion of nuclear security culture and capacity building activities.

All countries reported close cooperation with international or regional organizations and other countries, to strengthen nuclear safeguards and security capacity building. Almost all countries have implemented activities to complete their respective nuclear security and safeguards regime through bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the IAEA, other countries and organizations.

The consolidation of the country reports is covered in Session 6 of the Country Report Summary.

Session 3: Report and Discussion on Nuclear Forensics (NF)

Moderator:
Ms. Maria Teresa A. Salabit, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), Philippines
Presentations were delivered by Japan and Thailand
Mr. KIMURA Yoshiki, Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (ISCN/JAEA), Japan
Ms. NORO Naoko, ISCN/JAEA, Japan
Dr. Areerak Rueanngoen, Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP), Thailand

I. Report on the Table Top Exercise (TTX) on NF during the Regional Training Course on Nuclear Forensics sponsored by ISCN/JAEA
Mr. KIMURA discussed the NF Questionnaire provided at the Regional Training Course (RTC) on Nuclear Forensics held on January 2019 and sponsored by ISCN. He explained the purpose of the NF Questionnaire for the Tabletop Exercise on Nuclear Forensics is to share information among the FNCA Member States about the current status of NF national capability and identify the needs of the current activity within the framework of FNCA.

The RTC on Nuclear Forensics was attended by 16 participants from 12 countries involving technical experts, regulators and others, everyone answered the NF questionnaire. The course content included lectures and tabletop exercises and facility tour of ISCN. The summary of the NF questionnaire showed the challenges in the area of NF framework, NF laboratory and NF interpretation of the findings. On this basis, the RTC was a success. Office of Atoms for Peace, Thailand, dispatched an expert to ISCN for two months to contribute to the course material development.

Next Step - Hands-on Exercise on Nuclear Forensics to be held in Thailand on May 2020.

A question was raised by Bangladesh regarding the communication channels for the Letter of Invitation on the training courses. The concern was addressing the flow of notification reaching the target audience and interested countries for participation. The issue will be further discussed internally by the sponsoring organization.

II. Presentation on the Outline of Short TTX in this workshop
Ms. NORO provided a brief description on the Short tabletop exercise scheduled for 28 November.

Details of the tabletop exercise were not disclosed in the presentation so as not to pre-empt the scenario.

III. Presentation on the plans for the Hands-on Training Exercise on Nuclear Forensics (2020)
Dr. Areerak presented the plans for the Hands-on Training Exercise on Nuclear Forensics to be held in Thailand in May 2020. She provided background information on NF in Thailand. She also discussed the course structure of the NF training course for May 2020 which is similar to ISCN modules: Lectures, Interactive TTX and sharing information and good practices on NF.

Session 4: Report and Discussion on Good Practice of Additional Protocol (AP) Implementation (Effective Capacity Building Development based on Good Practices from the AP Implementation)

Moderator:
Dr. Abid Imtiaz, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), Bangladesh
Presentations were delivered by Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Thailand
Mr. Alexandr Ossintsev, National Nuclear Center (NNC), Kazakhstan
Ms. Gerelmaa Gombosuren, Nuclear Energy Commission (NEC), Mongolia
Dr. Areerak Rueanngoen, Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP), Thailand

In this session presentations on Good Practices of Additional Protocol (AP) Implementation were delivered from Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Thailand. This was followed by a round table discussion with a presentation from Ms. Perpetua Rodriguez of ISCN/JAEA on the results of the Survey on good practices of AP implementation.
The FNCA Members have agreed on the next step proposal with reference to the final report of the survey conducted: the first draft is expected by the end of March 2020; comments are expected from the Members by the end of April 2020 (with a possible extension of 2 weeks); final draft is expected to be prepared by the end of May 2020 and the final review by the end of June, 2020. The report on good practices will include lessons-learned while maintaining confidentiality of information.

In parallel the FNCA secretariat will seek the IAEA procedure/requirement for the publication of the final report as an IAEA information circular (INFCIRC).

Session 5: Special Lectures

Moderator:
Ms. Gerelmaa Gombosuren, Nuclear Energy Commission (NEC), Mongolia
Presentations were delivered by Japan and the Philippines
Prof. UESAKA Mitsuru, the University of Tokyo, Japan
Ms. Maria Teresa A. Salabit, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), Philippines

I. Presentation by Prof. Mitsuru Uesaka
Prof. UESAKA presented experience on Nuclear Human Resources Development in Japan (JN-HRD). The JN-HRD Net was first established in November 2010.

The number of participating organizations is 71 as of September 30, 2013. Network steering committee meeting was held twice a year and it has discussed the network activity. The aim of JN-HRD Net is to share information on nuclear HRD and limited resources, to promote national / international cooperation on nuclear HRD, to improve effectiveness and efficiency on nuclear HRD activities, and to establish a consistent HRD system or program.

He presented about the strategy development practices and how to set the task for each sub-WG including the collection and examination, and result and evaluation of the activities.

There are 4 Sub-WG covering elementary and high school education, basic nuclear education at universities and colleges, support to newcomers on nuclear power and HRD for internationally minded engineers.

The purpose of these 4 sub-WG purpose is to lead the school children to have interest on nuclear energy, promotes students to have interest on nuclear engineering subject, to provide a unique international educational experience for promising young professionals from newcomer countries seeking to develop nuclear power and to implement a virtual nuclear management university.

He concluded his presentation describing the composition of Japan N-HRD Network consisting of members of Governments, Industries and Academia to support nuclear HRD for students, engineers and foreign people.

It was a good experience for Japan to share the experiences of Network to FNCA member states. FNCA member states will establish National Stakeholder Network for HRD.

II. Presentation by Ms. Maria Teresa A. Salabit
Ms. Maria Teresa A. Salabit presented the Philippines' experiences on the security of radioactive sources.

She briefly presented the importance for establishing an appropriate and effective nuclear security regime for enhancing the State's, and thereby global, efforts to combat nuclear terrorism.

Portal Monitors were installed in ports of Manila for terminal operators and Port for Cebu for port authority. Mobile Detection System used by the national police in 2014. Philippines has actively cooperated with the Global Initiatives to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT), Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and Nuclear Security Summit.

They are integrating with other stakeholders like the National Security Council, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines (Phil. Army, Phil. Airforce), Bureau of Customs, National Coast Watch Center and Port Authority (Cebu and Manila) addressing major public events.

She concluded her presentation with nuclear security culture needs to be enhanced through continuing awareness program in the facility.

Session 6: Country Report Summary

The compilation of the country report summary (from Sessions 1 and 2) was presented by Ms. NORO Naoko (ISCN/JAEA). Edits and comments were received and incorporated in the country report summary. The Summary is attached to this report as "Country Report Summary." The updated Country Report Summary will be posted on the FNCA website.

Session 7: Future 3-year plan of Nuclear Security and Safeguards Project

Moderator:
Mr. NAOI Yosuke, Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (ISCN/JAEA), Japan

Mr. SENZAKI Masao, Project Leader of Japan, started his presentation by showing the results of the survey for the future 3-year plan of this project.

1. Future Direction for the Project
   
   1. Background
      • Promotion of peaceful use of nuclear energy in FNCA member countries. Preventing the treats of nuclear terrorism.
      • Contribution to the Post-Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) process to continue with international leadership, promoting implementation of the commitments made during the NSS (four NSS Communiqués, the Action Plans, national commitments and associated joint statements, others).
      • Promote the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security (February 10-14, 2020)
      • Implementation of the resolution (FNCA's MLM)
   2. Resolution (or Communiqué) of Ministerial Level Meeting (MLM Joint Communique of 19th MLM (December 6, 2018)
      Recognizing the urgent need to reinforce nuclear security, including nuclear forensics and cyber security in nuclear facilities, through adequate preparations that deal with such potential risks as: terrorism threats and other critical security issues for the member countries,
      
      Decided to work toward: (Themes and activities to be promoted)
      Furthering the activities prioritized in general by the member countries related to the application of nuclear science and technology particularly in such areas, nuclear security including nuclear forensics and cyber security, and HRD for nuclear safety and security culture which are universal concerns of the member countries
2. Outline of Next 3-Year Plan
   The following fields may be recommended as the next 3-year plan.
   1. Nuclear Security: nuclear forensics, cyber security, insider threat, nuclear security culture, transport security of radioactive sources and nuclear material
   2. Safeguards: Additional Protocol, safeguards implementation (small quantity of nuclear materials, etc.), others
   3. Common for security and safeguards:
      • Capacity building (HRD, others) under COEs: workforce planning, development of HRD plan in specific to the capacity building of staff, training for safeguards inspectorate (CSA, AP), train the trainer for nuclear security development (cyber security, radioactive transport, security culture)
      • Nuclear safety and security interface
      • Emerging technologies and the digital age (AI, social networking, big data, others)
   4. Open seminar for specific items requested from the WS host country, including International collaboration with IAEA, APSN, others
   5. Support and Collaboration from Japan's Authorities (CAO, MEXT, NRA, MOFA, ISCN/JAEA, others), Relevant Authorities of FNCA of member countries, and International Organization (IAEA, others)

Session 8: Concluding Session

Summary of the workshop was presented by Ms. Perpetua Rodriguez (ISCN/JAEA). She informed that the summary will be provided to the participants for confirmation of its contents by electronic mail.

Mr. SENZAKI Masao, Project Leader of Japan, concluded the workshop by providing a summary of what had been discussed and the proposals that were made. He encouraged FNCA members to provide ideas of possible projects that may be undertaken for the future. He also delivered the closing remarks, as the FNCA representative and expressed the appreciation to the Philippines for hosting the workshop for 2019. He announced that Thailand will be hosting the 2020 workshop.

Dr. Lucille V. Abad, Chief of Atomic Research Division, PNRI, FNCA Coordinator of the Philippines, affirmed the Philippines' commitment in the FNCA project of Nuclear Security and Safeguards. She encouraged collaboration among FNCA members to achieve the objectives of this project.

After the delivery of the closing remarks, the Workshop was officially closed.

Attachment

1. Agenda
2. List of Participants
3. Summary of Country Reports
4. Summary of Discussions at the Table Top Exercise (TTX)