Pretoria - The Nuclear Security Summit, which aimed to rally global action on securing vulnerable nuclear materials, ended with a communiqu, urging concrete actions and measures.
Leaders from 47 countries, representatives from the United Nations, the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) gathered in Washington for the two-day meeting to discuss ways to prevent nuclear materials from falling into the hands of terrorists and "non-state actors."
The final summit communiqu, lays out steps individual countries say they will take, although on a voluntary basis, aimed at reducing chances for terrorist organisations obtaining nuclear materials.
Participants committed to secure all nuclear materials by 2014 and list 12 specific obligations, including a promise to maintain effective security of nuclear material they possess.
They pledged to "prevent non-state actors from obtaining information or technology required to use nuclear material for malicious purposes, adhere to a list of best practices, and recognise a need for cooperation to effectively prevent and respond to incidents of illicit nuclear trafficking."
The leaders also agreed to enhance the role of the United Nations, IAEA, reaffirming its "essential role" in international nuclear security framework, promising to ensure that the UN nuclear watchdog "continues to have the appropriate structure, resources and expertise needed to carry out its mandated nuclear security activities."
During the summit, President Jacob Zuma welcomed IAEA's nuclear security for the World Cup saying it's indispensable. He also called for the strengthening of the IAEA.
Zuma said government should be concerned about the existence of networks dealing in the illicit transfer of nuclear related technology that could be used in manufacturing weapons of mass destruction.
"In promoting nuclear security, it is important that we place emphasis on a multilateral approach," Zuma said adding that it was important that states pool their resources in fighting terrorism globally.
Leaders from China, Russia, France, Germany, Brazil, South Africa and Japan were among participants at the summit, making it the largest gathering of world leaders in Washington in more than 60 years.
The summit was convened to create specific timelines for securing all loose nuclear material around the globe.
The next Nuclear Security Summit will be held in Seoul in 2012.
