United Nations – Office on Drugs and Crime – received 03.11.2025Why is the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) important for Small Island Developing States (SIDS)? Millions of radioactive sources are being transported and used worldwide for medical, agricultural and industrial purposes, and SIDS are not an exception. For instance, in virtually every country in the world there are radioactive sources being used for cancer treatment.
As recently stated by H. E. Ambassador Ron O. Pinder, Permanent Representative of The Bahamas to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the country is finalizing national legislation to ensure that all nuclear or radiological materials within the country’s territory are managed safely and securely. In this regard, adherence to ICSANT would help underpin these efforts.
During the Diplomatic Week 2025 “Delivering Security, Opportunity, and Justice through Diplomacy”, held on 19-23 October 2025 in Nassau, The Bahamas, UNODC discussed the Bahamas’ adherence to ICSANT, including how the Convention improves national, regional and international security. The Office also highlighted the role of ICSANT in detecting and identifying smuggled radioactive material and otherwise deterring terrorists and other criminals from using these substances. The event was opened by the Prime Minister the Honourable Philip EB Davis. It gathered over 200 delegates representing Bahamian ministers and diplomats as well as ambassadors from other countries and officials from international and regional organizations.
Ms. María Lorenzo Sobrado, Head of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Terrorism Prevention Programme within UNODC’s Terrorism Prevention Branch spoke at the first high-level plenary session on “Emerging security threats: The Bahamas perspective”, which also featured the Honourable Wayne Munroe, KC, MP, Minister of National Security, representatives of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Haiti Gang Suppression Force (formerly the Haiti Multinational Security Support Mission). In particular, Ms. Lorenzo Sobrado illustrated through concrete examples that the threat of terrorist and other criminal use of nuclear and other radioactive material is real for all States, not only for those ones with nuclear power programmes. She also emphasized that all States, including The Bahamas, need to establish robust and sustainable legal frameworks to counter this threat. ICSANT, to which The Bahamas is not yet party, is an essential tool at the country’s disposal to strengthen its criminal justice system and effectively prevent and combat malicious acts involving nuclear and other radioactive material.
Mr. Artem Lazarev, Programme Officer of UNODC’s CBRN Terrorism Prevention Programme, conducted a side-event on ICSANT. Through a fictional case study, he further raised awareness of relevant national stakeholders of The Bahamas on the main provisions of the Convention, benefits for the country of being party to it, and available technical and legislative assistance of UNODC.
The UNODC staff also conducted high‑level bilateral meetings on ICSANT with the following national officials: the Honourable Wayne Munroe, KC, MP, Minister of National Security; Mr. Jamahl Strachan, MP, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Her Excellency Ms. Jerusa Ali, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Mr. Ryan Sands, Legal Counsel, Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas. Among other things, the UNODC staff provided an overview of UNODC’s ICSANT‑related tools and the tailored technical and legislative assistance that the Office can offer to The Bahamas with regard to the country’s adherence to, and implementation of, ICSANT.
The country visit was conducted under a project funded by the Government of Canada.
Source: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/terrorism/latest-news/2025_unodc-promotes-the-international-convention-for-the-suppression-of-acts-of-nuclear-terrorism-at-the-annual-diplomatic-week-in-the-bahamas.html