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Next Generation Nuclear Security Summit - April 12-13, 2010
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fissile materials working group

The Fissile Materials Working Group (FMWG), a nongovernmental coalition of over 40 U.S. experts representing many of the top nonproliferation and nuclear security organizations in the country and also includes several international partner organizations.  Members of the FMWG collaborate in a series of meetings designed to create consensus behind top fissile materials priorities, develop actionable policy proposals, and package recommendations for implementation by U.S. and foreign government officials.

The FMWG has been a forceful presence in support of improved fissile material security and the prevention of nuclear terrorism.  Important milestones for the FMWG include the publication of its consensus recommendations to the Obama Administration for improving nuclear material security (September 2009); the convening of a summit of international experts and supporting events in support of the official Nuclear Security Summit (April 2010); and a series of regional meetings to explore international perspectives on nuclear security (October 2010 - April 2011).  These activities highlight the urgency of this agenda and engage a broad array of international stakeholders.  Please click here for a summary of the FMWG's acitivites to date.  To view the FMWG's condensed work plan, please click here.

Media Contact:
Sean Harder
sharder@stanleyfoundation.org
319-455-6397


The Steering Committee is comprised of the following professionals:

  • Kenneth N. Luongo, President, Partnership for Global Security (co-chair)
  • Alexandra Toma, Executive Director, Connect U.S. Fund (co-chair)
  • Matthew Bunn, Associate Professor of Public Policy; Co-Principal Investigator, Project on Managing the Atom; Co-Principal Investigator, Energy Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment (ERD3) Policy Project, Harvard University
  • Togzhan Kassenova, Associate, Nuclear Policy Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
  • Miles Pomper, Senior Research Associate, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies
  • Jennifer Smyser, Program Officer, Policy and Outreach, The Stanley Foundation
  • Sharon Squassoni, Director and Senior Fellow, Proliferation Prevention Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
  • Benn Tannenbaum, Non-Resident Fellow, Center for Science, Technology, and Security Policy, American Association for the Advancement of Science
  • Paul Walker, Director, Security & Sustainability, Global Green USA
     

Key Staff:

Ryan Costello
FMWG Coordinator
202-721-5600 x. 5724
 

Michelle Marchesano
mmarchesano@partnershipforglobalsecurity.org
202-332-1412

Experts Praise Extension of G-8 Global Partnership: Call for More Effective Action against Nuclear Terrorism
May27
Posted by Ryan Costello
Release Date: 
5/27/2011
Deauville, France – The Fissile Materials Working Group (FMWG), a coalition of leading nuclear security experts, praised G-8 leaders’ renewal of their commitment to address the spread of materials and weapons of mass destruction, and to prevent nuclear terrorism. This commitment to continue the important work of the Global Partnership beyond 2012, however, must be used to make the program more flexible and effective.
 
Paul Walker, FMWG steering committee member and director of the Security and Sustainability Program at Global Green USA, lauded the G-8’s decision to extend the program and indicated how the program can be strengthened: “The extension of the Global Partnership is most welcome and very important for global security, nonproliferation, and keeping weapons of mass destruction away from the terrorists. However, a renewed funding commitment and the addition of new countries as Global Partners beyond the current 23 will be essential going forward.”
 
“The continuation of the Global Partnership maintains a critical link in the global effort to secure nuclear and other dangerous weapons materials around the globe.  By focusing its attention on several critical issues and including new members, it can become even more effective in addressing the WMD challenges of the 21st century.  But, in order to act rapidly and flexibly to improve security in all corners of the world, it will require continued top level political support and funding,” said Kenneth Luongo, co-chair of the FMWG and president of Partnership for Global Security.
 
Matthew Bunn, FMWG steering committee member and Associate Professor at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and Co-Principal Investigator for The Project on Managing the Atom underscored the challenge ahead: “The extension of the Global Partnership is a good first step.  Now the Partners need to commit new funds and target them where they offer the biggest available reductions in the nuclear terrorism threat per dollar invested.  There’s a great deal to do to consolidate nuclear material and upgrade nuclear security if the Nuclear Security Summit goal of providing effective and lasting security for all nuclear material worldwide within four years is going to be achieved, and those steps cost money.”
 
FMWG members collaborate to create consensus behind top fissile materials priorities, develop actionable policy proposals, and package recommendations for implementation by US and foreign government officials. For more information, visit www.fmwg.org.
 

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