After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited vast quantities of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and/or related destructive materials. In addition, tens of thousands of former weapons scientists found themselves unemployed or underemployed. The possibility of terrorists groups or countries of proliferation concern gaining access to Cold War-era weapons and material of mass destruction or related knowledge represents a real danger to the international community.
In recognition of this threat, the G8, under Canada's leadership, launched the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. G8 leaders committed to raise up to US $20 billion over 10 years to prevent the acquisition of weapons and materials of mass destruction by terrorists or those who harbour them. Canada has committed CDN$1 billion over 10 years.
What is the Global Partnership Program?
The Global Partnership is intended to address one of the most serious security threats facing our world today by preventing terrorist groups from obtaining weapons and materials of mass destruction (WMD) to carry out their campaigns. The ability or willingness of groups to measure their success in terms of human suffering became very clear on September 11, 2001 when terrorists attacked the United States. To date, the damage and casualties caused by terrorists by this type of attack has been limited only by the destructiveness of their weapons in their possession.
The risk of WMD being used against innocent people increased significantly after 1991 when Russia took possession from the states of the former Soviet Union of vast quantities of nuclear, radiological, and chemical weapons and related destructive and dangerous materials. Russia now represents a storage depot for:
- approximately 40,000 metric tonnes of chemical weapons
- tonnes of highly enriched uranium and weapon-grade plutonium
- decommissioned nuclear submarines with spent nuclear fuel (SNF)
These stockpiles need to be secured and destroyed to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
In addition, there are tens of thousands of former weapons scientists unemployed or underemployed in the former Soviet Union and some are vulnerable to financial offers for their skills from terrorist groups or countries of proliferation concern.
In recognition of this threat, G8 Leaders committed the G8 to a program aimed at preventing the acquisition of weapons and materials of mass destruction by terrorists or those who shelter them.
At the Kananaskis Summit, G8 Leaders, from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the European Union and Canada, united to launch the G8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction. The eight countries agreed to raise up to US $20 billion to support cooperation projects, initially in Russia. As Chair of the G8 for 2002, Canada reinforced its leadership on the initiative by committing up to CDN $1 billion over 10 years, beginning in 2003.
The four priority areas identified within the Global Partnership framework are:
The list is not exclusive. While projects will initially be implemented in Russia, there are provisions to extend funding into other countries of the former Soviet Union.
The G8 Leaders' commitment included an invitation to other like-minded countries prepared to adopt the Partnership's principles and guidelines to enter into discussions with the G8 on participating in and contributing to this initiative. As the initiative seeks to address threats that face all of us and entails benefits in terms of security and strategic stability that are global in nature, participation in the program cannot be limited to just a few. This was formally recognized in October, 2002 when the United Nations, under resolution 57/68, welcomed and endorsed the principles of the Global Partnership.
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The Four Priorities - Video Overviews
