Moving From Paper To Practice In Nuclear Disarmament Verification: NuDiVe - The Nuclear Disarmament Verification Exercise

Year
2020
Author(s)
Irmgard Niemeyer - Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Jan Geisel-Brinck - Universität Hamburg
Simon Hebel - Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
Philip Kegler - Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Gerald Kirchner - Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
Manuel Kreutle - Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
Stefan Neumeier - Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Abstract

The Nuclear Disarmament Verification (NuDiVe) Exercise, organized by Germany and France, was held in September 2019 at Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany, as part of the International Partnership for Disarmament Verification (IPNDV). NuDiVe was the first nuclear disarmament verification exercise that was not limited to the organisers from Germany and France, but included participants from 11 countries, taking roles as inspector, host or evaluator. The inspection team applied verification measures immediately prior to and following a notional dismantlement of a nuclear warhead to gain assurance of the non-diversion of fissile material. The host team, representing the fictional inspected state of “Urania,” used managed access arrangements designed to prevent any disclosure of information that could pose a risk for proliferation of nuclear weapons or other sensitive information. Procedures followed in the exercise were prepared by the exercise organisers, building on inspection concepts and approaches developed by IPNDV. An independent evaluation team observed the exercise. NuDiVe has shown that multilateral nuclear disarmament verification is possible with the involvement of nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states. The talk will highlight the organisation, execution and results of NuDiVe from the organiser's point of view.