U.S. Department of State

MISSION STATEMENT

The Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) is funded by the Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, De-mining and Related Programs (NADR) Account. ISN/CTR programs, also known as Global Threat Reduction (GTR) programs, are aimed at reducing the threat posed by terrorist organizations or proliferant states seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction (WMD) expertise, material, and equipment. GTR programs are threat-driven and focus on frontline states like Iraq and Yemen, critical states such as Indonesia, Philippines, and Egypt, and in regions where the terrorist threat is on the rise, such as South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

ISN/CTR coordinates its programming closely with other offices at the Department of State as well as with other U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency. ISN/CTR works closely with the Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs (ISN/TR) in the G-8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (G-8 Global Partnership) and facilitates coordination of other U.S. Government initiatives seeking increased contributions for nonproliferation assistance from other governments.

ISN/CTR’s GTR programs include:

• The Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP) strengthens biorisk management practices, enhances infectious disease detection and surveillance, and supports cooperative research and development worldwide to prevent terrorist and other non-state actors access to potentially dangerous biological agents.
• The Chemical Security Engagement Program (CSP) promotes chemical safety and security in the academic, governmental, and industrial sectors and implements scientific engagement capacity-building projects to deter terrorists from acquiring chemicals and chemical expertise to be used to create or enhance a WMD or chemical attack.

The Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS) aims to establish cooperative partnerships related to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, in support of global nuclear security and related safety and nonproliferation objectives. PNS establishes sustainable linkages between nuclear technical professionals and their counterparts at U.S. and international institutions and provides nuclear security awareness through trainings, workshops, conferences, travel and exchange programs, and related activities.

• The Science Centers Program supports two international science and technology centers – the International Science and Technology Center in Moscow (www.istc.ru) and the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (www.stcu.int). The two centers facilitate international science projects and assist the global scientific community to engage with scientists and engineers in the former Soviet Union.

Director: Phillip Dolliff