U.S. and Cameroon Sign Agreement to Prevent Nuclear Smuggling
The National Nuclear Security Administration announced on November 4, 2010 that it has signed an agreement with Cameroon to begin a cooperative effort to deter, detect and interdict illicit smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive materials.
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This agreement, the first NNSA has signed with a nation in West Africa, paves the way for NNSA’s Second Line of Defense (SLD) program to work with the Ministry of Transport and other agencies in Cameroon to install radiation detection equipment and a communications system at the Port of Douala. In addition to providing and installing equipment, NNSA will train Cameroonian officials and fund the initial maintenance of this equipment. NNSA is working to expand its SLD Program efforts throughout Africa.
(The SLD works to prevent illicit trafficking in nuclear and radiological materials by securing international land borders, seaports and airports that may be used as smuggling routes for materials needed for a nuclear device or a radiological dispersal device. The SLD Program has two main components: the Core Program and the Megaports Initiative. The Megaports Initiative provides radiation detection equipment, training, and technical support to key international seaports to scan cargo containers for nuclear and other radioactive materials.)