A landmark regional initiative to enhance nuclear security protocols is underway in Antigua and Barbuda this week. Government officials from eight Caribbean nations have convened for a specialized workshop focused on strengthening the reporting of nuclear material inventories, specifically under the modified Small Quantities Protocol (SQP).
The intensive, week-long training program, hosted at the Trade Winds Hotel, represents a significant collaborative effort. It is jointly organized by the Antiguan government alongside major international bodies, including the US Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the International Nuclear Safeguards Engagement Programme, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In his opening address, Ambassador Dr. Clarence Pilgrim, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the critical nature of the event. He stated that the workshop is both ‘timely and essential,’ underscoring a fundamental principle of global security: all nations, including those with minimal or no nuclear material, are bound by international non-proliferation obligations. Dr. Pilgrim elaborated that the core objective of the sessions is to equip participating states with the advanced technical expertise required to compile precise nuclear inventories and ensure their accurate submission to the IAEA.
The delegations in attendance comprise technical and policy experts from St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Suriname, the Bahamas, Grenada, Belize, and the host nation, Antigua and Barbuda. According to organizing officials, this capacity-building exercise is designed to directly support the region’s ongoing endeavors to fulfill the stringent requirements set forth by the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and its Additional Protocol. These agreements are considered the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation framework, and enhanced compliance from Caribbean states marks a proactive step toward reinforcing worldwide security architecture.