Remarks by Former Senator Sam Nunn at the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) 10th Anniversary

Ten years ago here in Vienna, I was proud to join
IAEA Director General ElBaradei, U.S. Secretary of Energy Sam Bodman,
Ambassador Johansen of Norway, and INMM President Nancy Jo Nicholas. We were gathered
to announce an initiative aimed at ensuring that the world can continue to
enjoy the great benefits of nuclear energy while defending against its potential
dangers. We called it the World Institute for Nuclear Security or WINS.

In developing the WINS concept, NTI partnered with
INMM and the U.S. Department of Energy. WINS would not have happened without
the leadership of Secretary Bodman and Will Tobey. Will was then a leader in
the Energy Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration. We at NTI
were deeply saddened by Secretary Bodman’s recent death and are grateful for
his exceptional public service. I know that this audience and all WINS members
join me in thanking Will Tobey for his continued dedication and outstanding
service as chair of the WINS Board of Directors.

I would like to add thanks to our friend Charlie
Curtis who was president of NTI in 2008 and championed the WINS idea from the
very beginning. Charlie could not be here today, but he served as the founding
chair of the WINS Board and continues to be a dedicated and trusted advisor.

I also applaud Corey Hinderstein, Joyce Connery and
Jim Tape, three leaders who played a decisive role and made WINS possible. And,
of course, praise must go to the real heroes—Roger Howsley and the WINS staff—past
and current. WINS has a blue-ribbon international team energized by a “start-up
spirit” and dedicated to this crucial mission.

To put WINS’ 10^th birthday in perspective,
I will briefly address three key questions:

• Why was WINS needed?
• What has WINS accomplished?
• Why do we still need WINS today?

Why was WINS needed?

Three reasons:

• First, preventing nuclear catastrophe is one of
  the greatest challenges of our time, and although the world has made progress
  on nuclear security since the Cold War, we all know that the work of nuclear
  security is never done.
• Second, the nuclear power industry has a great organization
  – the World Association of Nuclear Operators or WANO. Since Chernobyl, WANO has
  shared information and conducted peer reviews to improve safety and efficiency.
  There wasn’t, however, an equivalent organization that could bring together nuclear
  security professionals to develop and share best security practices.  
• Third, the tragic events of 9/11 brought the
  need to secure nuclear materials into sharp focus.

Our goal ten years ago was for every institution
responsible for nuclear and radioactive material to join this organization—to
share what they know and to learn from others.

It was a bold and ambitious strategy for an NGO. Today,
10 years later, Winston Churchill’s quote comes to mind: “No matter how
brilliant the strategy, occasionally we must look at the results.”

So what has WINS
accomplished?

Under Roger Howsley’s brilliant leadership, WINS has
brought together nuclear security experts, the nuclear industry, governments,
and international organizations to focus on rapid and sustainable improvements
in security of weapons-usable nuclear materials as well as radioactive
materials.

It is important to point out that WINS’ mission complements
the essential regulatory work by governments and the authoritative guidance
provided by the IAEA.

A few facts to consider:

•      WINS today has more than 5,000 members in 139 countries.
•      WINS established the world’s first training and certification program for nuclear security professionals – WINS Academy. It has certified 334 nuclear security professionals and has more than 1,000 enrolled.  At the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit, a dozen heads of state publicly pledged to support the work of the Academy.
•      WINS has hosted security workshops in 23 countries, attended by more than 3,300 participants, and published 36 international best-practice guides.
•      WINS today is working to develop a peer review program for nuclear security with WANO’s help.
•      Most important and most impactful for the world, according to a survey last year, more than 80% of WINS members state that they have modified and improved their security practices because of WINS.· 

Bottom line: WINS has done exactly what it was set up
to do – and much more.

Why do we still
need WINS?

My perspective:

• We need WINS because
  peaceful nuclear energy relies on credible and effective nuclear security.
• We need WINS because our
  global nuclear security is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain.
• We need WINS because as
  more countries rely on nuclear energy, new generations of nuclear security
  professionals must be trained and they must become part of and contribute
  to a culture of information sharing and accountability.
• We need WINS because many risks,
  including those posed by terrorist organizations and cyber hackers, will
  continue to grow and evolve.

In closing,
WINS is robust, effective and growing. It is independent and, with your
continued help, sustainable. As this crowd knows well, WINS must have resources
to sustain and build its programs and to meet evolving nuclear security
challenges.

This is not a fundraiser and you don’t need to grab
your wallets. But in case there is a prospective donor, Roger Howsley and Will
Tobey have authorized me to share with you what the pastor of my hometown
church often told our congregation: “The Lord loves a cheerful giver, but we will
also take money from a grouch!”  Thank
you.