Roadmap for Success of the Nuclear Security Summits and Beyond

The Nuclear Security Summits are at a midway point but have not yet reached their full potential of eliminating weak links in the global nuclear security system. The first two summits, in Washington and Seoul, have had a beneficial impact by identifying common objectives, galvanising international action and reducing stockpiles of vulnerable nuclear materials. However, improving nuclear security governance is an important new issue. It could be introduced at the 2014 summit in The Hague and be a springboard for action at the 2016 summit in the US. This would produce an NSS legacy of an effective, cohesive and durable barrier against nuclear terrorism appropriate for the realities of the 21st century.