Updated January 28, 2015
Two Live Webinars by CNS/MIIS
Source: WikiMedia Commons, Barry Haynes
The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) and the Monterey Institute of International Studies held two live webinars aimed at informing the financial community, the nonproliferation community, and other interested professionals about the challenge of proliferation financing. These webinars are part of a larger project seeking to raise awareness in the financial and nonproliferation communities of efforts to curb illegal trafficking in specialized and dual-use weapon of mass destruction (WMD)-related equipment and technology by blocking the financing of such transactions. The project is supported by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
These free one-hour live webinars were led by two prominent experts in the field – Leonard Spector and Moyara Ruehsen. Mr. Spector and Dr. Ruehsen provided an overview of the role of the financial community in reducing the dangers posed by illicit nuclear trafficking networks and the risks created by these networks for financial institutions. The webinars also looked at how nonproliferation and financial professionals can work together to improve the use of financial tools to counter illicit WMD-related procurement networks.
The topics discussed during both webinars included:
- The linkages between WMD proliferation and the financial sector;
- The status of illicit trafficking and new efforts to stem the flow of sensitive WMD materials;
- Methods being used to disrupt financial transactions and trafficking networks; and
- What governments and the private sector can do to meet obligations under UN and other international mandates
