Proliferation Security Initiative facts for kids

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The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is a worldwide effort to stop the illegal movement of dangerous weapons, like weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems (like missiles), and materials used to make them. It aims to prevent these items from reaching or leaving countries and groups that are a concern for spreading such weapons.

So San assault by Spanish special forces; this event helped start the PSI.

The PSI was started by United States President George W. Bush in May 2003 in Kraków, Poland. Since then, 105 nations around the world have joined or supported it. These include major countries like Russia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.

Even though many countries support the PSI, some, like India, China, and Indonesia, have expressed concerns about it.

How the PSI Started
Who Participates
Critical Capabilities and Practices (CCP)
Real-World Events and Stops
Training Exercises
See also
References

How the PSI Started

The idea for the PSI came about because of an event involving a North Korean ship called the So San. In December 2002, this ship was carrying 15 Scud missiles towards Yemen. Spanish special forces stopped and boarded the ship. However, they had to let the missiles go because international laws at the time didn't allow them to be taken away.

This incident showed a gap in international law. A few months later, in May 2003, President Bush announced the PSI with Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski in Kraków.

Initially, 11 countries formed the "core" group of the PSI. In September 2003, these countries met in Paris and created the "Statement of Interdiction Principles." This document explains what the PSI aims to do: stop shipments of WMDs and related materials. It also states that any actions taken must follow international law.

Since 2003, the PSI has grown to include an "Operational Experts Group" (OEG) of 21 nations and 84 other supporting countries. Important trading nations like Singapore and the United Arab Emirates have joined. Countries like Turkey and South Korea, which are close to areas with proliferation risks, have also endorsed the initiative.

Eleven nations have signed special agreements with the United States called "Mutual Shipboarding Agreements." These agreements make it easier for the US to ask to board ships flying the flags of these nations. Many of these countries, like Panama and Liberia, have many commercial ships registered with them.

In April 2009, President Barack Obama said he wanted to make the PSI a "lasting international organization." This showed that the US would continue to support the PSI, no matter which political party was in charge.

In 2013, a big PSI meeting led to four new agreements. These agreements aimed to:

Make the initiative stronger.
Improve ways to stop illegal shipments.
Strengthen the legal powers for action.
Improve how they share information.

Progress was checked in 2016, and another major meeting was planned for 2018 in France. The PSI has also expanded to cover more issues, such as customs checks, export rules, and stopping money used for illegal weapons.

Who Participates

PSI-endorsing states, as of 2013.

The main job of countries participating in the PSI is to follow the Statement of Interdiction Principles. This means they work to stop dangerous weapons and materials. They are also encouraged to create laws that help them effectively stop and seize these items. Finally, they must make sure their own facilities are not used to move illegal weapon cargo.

The PSI also helps create an informal network where governments can work together outside of the official PSI meetings.

In the United States, the PSI program is managed by the White House. The United States Department of State and the United States Department of Defense play leading roles, with other government agencies helping out.

PSI participants often take part in various activities. These include meetings of experts, live training exercises, command post exercises, tabletop exercises (where they discuss scenarios), seminars, workshops, and other training sessions on stopping WMDs.

Current members include:

Afghanistan
Albania
Andorra
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas, The
Bahrain
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Estonia
Equatorial Guinea
Fiji
Finland
France
Federated States of Micronesia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Holy See
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Korea, Republic of
Kyrgyzstan
Kuwait
Latvia
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Samoa
Saudi Arabia
San Marino
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sri Lanka
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Sweden
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Thailand
Togo
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Trinidad and Tobago
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia

Critical Capabilities and Practices (CCP)

Countries supporting the PSI are creating a set of tools called Critical Capabilities and Practices (CCP). These tools help all PSI partners get better at stopping WMDs. The CCP has four main parts:

Element 1. Stopping Illegal Activities: Making sure countries have the right laws to prevent illegal activities related to dangerous weapons within their borders and when things cross into or out of their country.
Element 2. Checking and Identifying: Being able to properly check cargo on planes, land vehicles, and ships, and to identify materials related to dangerous weapons.
Element 3. Seizing and Handling: Knowing how to properly take and get rid of materials that have been stopped.
Element 4. Quick Decisions: Developing ways to make fast decisions when they need to stop illegal shipments.

Examples of these tools include:

Model laws that countries can use.
Guides to identify different materials and training on how to use them.
Legal advice on United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Expert talks on how to inspect things.
Tips for sharing information and making decisions.

A group called the CCP Review Team, started in 2015, works on improving these tools. They gather resources and help organize training events and exercises. Members of this team include Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Russia, and the United States.

Real-World Events and Stops

The PSI doesn't have a main office or a central group that tells countries what to do. Instead, it's a promise between countries to work together. It helps countries build strong ways to stop illegal shipments, usually with just two or three governments working together.

Here are some examples of real-world events related to the PSI:

The So San Incident (2002): As mentioned earlier, the Spanish ship SPS Navarra stopped the freighter So San carrying 15 Scud missiles from North Korea. Even though the cargo was returned, this event highlighted the need for the PSI.
The BBC China Case (2003): Germany found out that a ship called the BBC China was carrying nuclear-related materials to Libya. German experts, with help from the US Navy, inspected the ship in the Mediterranean Sea. They found and took away equipment that could be used to make nuclear centrifuges.
The Hual Africa Incident (2005): In a less successful event, Germany allowed a high-tech crane to be exported on the vessel Hual Africa. This crane could have been used in Iran's missile program.
The Kang Nam Incident (2009): A North Korean ship named Kang Nam, believed to be going to Myanmar, turned around after the US Navy started tracking it. North Korea later threatened military action if its ships were searched.
Busan Container Seizure (2009): South Korea stopped North Korean containers at the port of Busan. These containers held special clothing used to protect against chemical weapons.
Thailand Stops North Korean Shipment (2009): Thailand stopped a North Korean shipment of weapons and missile technology. This was based on information from US intelligence. The final destination of these materials was not clear, but it was thought to be Iran or Pakistan.
The MV Light Incident (2011): A North Korean ship called MV Light, suspected of carrying missile technology to Myanmar, turned around. The US Navy ship USS McCampbell intercepted it and asked to board, but the ship refused. Even though the materials weren't inspected, the fact that they didn't reach their target was seen as a success for the PSI.

Training Exercises

PSI activities include regular "exercises." These are like practice drills that test how well countries can stop WMD-related materials and if their laws allow them to do so. Exercises can be "live action," like practicing boarding a ship or searching a container. They can also be "tabletop" activities, where experts discuss legal and operational questions using a made-up scenario.

Recent PSI exercises have included:

PHOENIX EXPRESS 2012 (May): A US-led naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea that included a PSI scenario.
PACIFIC SHIELD 2012 (July): A PSI exercise hosted by Japan, focusing on an air scenario.
PANAMAX 2012 (Aug): A joint US/Panama naval exercise that included a PSI scenario.
EASTERN ENDEAVOR 2012 (Sep): A PSI exercise hosted by South Korea, focusing on a maritime scenario.
Eastern European PSI Workshop (Nov 2012): Hosted by Moldova, focusing on a ground-based scenario.
LEADING EDGE 2013 (Feb): A joint UAE/US PSI exercise that included air, sea, and land interdiction activities.
SAHARAN EXPRESS 2013 (Mar): A US-led naval exercise off the West Coast of Africa that included a PSI scenario.

References

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