Jonathan joins world leaders for Nuclear Summit - Vanguard

Seoul – (NAN) President Goodluck Jonathan will on Monday join 53 other Heads of State at a Summit in Seoul to deliberate on ways to tackle nuclear terrorism, the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Second International Nuclear Security Summit, slated for March 26 and March 27, will enable the world leaders and other participants to address issues on nuclear safety and threats to the international order.

The two-day meeting, hosted by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, will review progress on measures to enhance nuclear security at both national and international levels.

The Seoul summit follows the first one in Washington DC in 2010 that was widely interpreted as a personal initiative by U.S. President Barack Obama. Nuclear security analysts say a global consensus on what should be the highest priority  and actions to prevent terrorists from gaining access to nuclear materials does not exist.

This year's summit will focus on the formulation of  practical measures and plan of action, especially as more countries are now advocating the destruction of nuclear materials. A reduced stock of nuclear materials will mean fewer opportunities for nuclear terrorism.

At the 2010 Summit, the leaders pledged to minimise the use of weapons-grade nuclear materials in the civilian sector, to ratify international conventions on nuclear security and to establish "centres of excellence" to provide relative education and training and promote nuclear security.

Since then,  20 countries have ratified the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials, while 14 have ratified the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and 12 nuclear-security training centres are being created around the world.

Other leaders attending the Seoul summit include Obama and China's President Hu Jintao. Africa is being represented by Nigeria and South Africa.