Ilja M. Bonsen presented the IPACT program at the CBW Symposium in Stockholm. The combined threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and terrorism requires that all States implement fully their international non-proliferation and counter-terrorism obligations. Complementing that State action, other stakeholders, including industry, academia, non-governmental organisations and civic society need to become part of this evolving governance system. These obligations are framed in the Security Council Resolution 1540. IPACT is developed to implement 1540 and these obligations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The program aims at developing comprehensive national strategies to improve and sustain capacities to counter WMD proliferation and terrorism, and at promoting best international and national standards and practices in the implementation of their respective obligations. With Bosnia and Herzegovina as pilot country, the program builds on the experience and expertise in the region.
When approaching the danger of WMD proliferation, one often refers to the problem of safeguarding (non proliferation), security (the threat of terrorism) and safety (accidents). This program will take a holistic approach by integrating the efforts in all three areas.
The basis for IPACT is the IBC Functionality Approach, a methodology that is used in many different security areas including critical infrastructure protection, non proliferation, CBRN crisis management and airline security. Most international support programs lack a structured methodology. In IPACT, the scan is based on a concept of different functions a country needs to perform in order to achieve a certain objective.
The methodologies, models and tools to manage this multi-faceted and multi-stakeholder approach have been developed in one pilot country of the region (Bosnia Herzegovina), and conclusions and recommendations (generic or region-specific) will be extracted from the pilot, in cooperation with other regional and international partners. These tools can then be use by other countries elsewhere in their efforts develop better-integrated non-proliferation systems (policies, infrastructure, mechanisms and procedures), and to further enhance regional coordination of these measures.