The Nuclear Threat Initiative, generally referred to as NTI, is a non-profit organization located in Washington, D.C. The American foreign policy think tank was founded in 2001 by former U.S. Senator
Sam Nunn and describes itself as a "nonprofit, nonpartisan global security organization focused on reducing nuclear and biological threats imperiling humanity."
NTI has four policy programs: the Global Nuclear Policy Program, Nuclear Materials Security, Scientific and Technical Affairs, and Global Biological Policy and Programs (stylized as NTI , bio).
Mission
NTI's self-described mission is "to transform global security by driving systemic solutions to nuclear and biological threats imperiling humanity."
History
NTI was founded in 2001 by former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn and philanthropist Ted Turner. The launch event was held at the National Press Club on January 8, 2001. An event celebrating NTI’s 20th anniversary was held on April 12, 2022, with a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Work
Low-Enriched Uranium Bank
NTI supported the development of an international low-enriched uranium bank to help prevent the proliferation of nuclear technology.
NTI advisor
Warren Buffett provided $50 million to jump-start the reserve, which is owned and managed by the
International Atomic Energy Agency and located in Kazakhstan.
The bank became fully operational in October 2019 after receiving its first shipment of uranium.
Highly Enriched Uranium Elimination
Serbia
In 2002, NTI helped remove 100 pounds of
highly-enriched uranium from a nuclear reactor in modern-day Serbia.
Kazakhstan
NTI provided technical and financial support to help convert 2,900 kilograms of highly-enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium in Kazakhstan in 2005. The organization committed $1.3 million for reactor safety systems.
Nuclear Security Index
NTI has produced a biennial "Nuclear Security Index" in partnership with
Economist Impact since 2012. The "NTI Index" benchmarks nuclear security conditions across 176 countries.
As part of the Index, NTI also develops and releases a Radioactive Source Security Assessment that includes recommendations on securing and eliminating radiological sources used and stored at thousands of sites across more than 100 countries.
Global Health Security Index
The Global Health Security Index, produced by NTI, the
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, and Economist Impact, is a biennial index that assesses countries' preparedness to respond to pandemics and epidemics. The GHS Index assesses 195 countries' abilities to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies based on publicly available information.
World Health Organization–Nuclear Threat Initiative Emergency Outbreak Response Fund
In 2002, NTI partnered with the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level o ...
(WHO) to create a $500,000 rapid response fund for infectious disease outbreaks.
Global Dialogue on Nuclear Security Priorities
NTI regularly convenes meetings among global nuclear security experts and government officials to discuss issues related to nuclear security. Global Dialogue summits have taken place in France, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan.
Establishment of New Organizations
In 2003, NTI created the Middle East Consortium for Infectious Disease Surveillance (MECIDS) with participation from
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
,
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
, and the
Palestinian Authority. MECIDS shares official health data and conducts infectious disease prevention training.
In 2008, NTI helped create the
World Institute for Nuclear Security
The World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) is an international non-governmental membership organisation located in Vienna, Austria. Its mission is to be the leader in knowledge exchange, professional development and certification for nuclear ...
(WINS), in Vienna, as part of its focus to secure nuclear materials worldwide.
NTI also created Connecting Organizations for Disease Surveillance (CORDS), which launched in 2013 as an independent
NGO that links international disease surveillance networks, supported by the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level o ...
and
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
.
Films
The organization produced the 2005 film, ''
Last Best Chance'', a docudrama about nuclear terrorism that aired on HBO. NTI also produced the 2010 documentary film ''
Nuclear Tipping Point,'' which was screened by
President Obama at the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
in April 2010 and featured on ''The'' ''Colbert Report''.
Leadership
Ernest J. Moniz has served as chief executive officer since June 2017, and Joan Rohlfing serves as president and chief operating officer. Co-chaired by Moniz, Nunn, and
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he ...
, NTI is governed by a Board of Directors with both current and emeritus members from around the globe.
Board of Directors
*
Ernest J. Moniz, Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, NTI
*
Sam Nunn, Co-Chair, Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor, NTI
*
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he ...
, Co-Chair
*
Des Browne, Vice Chairman, NTI
*
Joan Rohlfing, President, NTI
* Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the
International Atomic Energy Agency and Special Representative for International Nuclear Cooperation
* Ambassador
Brooke D. Anderson, President of Pivotal Ventures
* Dr.
Alexey Arbatov, Head, Center for International Security at Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences
*
Edmund G. Brown Jr., Former Governor of California
* Ambassador
Rolf Ekeus, Chairman Emeritus of the Board,
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
* Gideon Frank, Former Director General of the
Israel Atomic Energy Commission
*
Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
* Ambassador
Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, China, and Singapore
*
Igor S. Ivanov, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Russia
*
Riaz Mohammad Khan
Riaz Mohammad Khan holds a master's degree in mathematics and a B.A. (honors) from Punjab University, Lahore.
Prior to joining Pakistan's Foreign Service in 1969, Khan taught quantum physics from 1965 to 1969 as assistant professor in the Mathem ...
, Former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan
*
Jeong H. Kim
Jeong Hun Kim ( ko, 김종훈; born August 13, 1960) is a South Korean-born American academic, businessman, and entrepreneur in the technology industry.
In 2004, Kim was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for contributions t ...
, Former President, Bell Labs
*
Michelle McMurry-Heath, President and CEO,
Biotechnology Innovation Organization
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is the largest advocacy association in the world representing the biotechnology industry.
It was founded in 1993 as the Biotechnology Industry Organization, and changed its name to the Biotechnology ...
* Admiral
Michael G. Mullen
Michael Glenn Mullen (born October 4, 1946) is a retired United States Navy admiral, who served as the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2007, to September 30, 2011.
Mullen previously served as the Navy's 28th chief of ...
, USN (ret.), 17th Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
*
Ronald L. Olson, Partner, Los Angeles office of
Munger, Tolles & Olson
Munger, Tolles, & Olson LLP (MTO) is a Californian law firm with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Charles Munger founded the firm in 1962 along with six other attorneys.
Legal practice
Munger, Tolles & Olson is kno ...
* Michael A. Peterson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the
Peter G. Peterson Foundation
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation is an American foundation established in 2008 by Peter G. Peterson, former US Secretary of Commerce in the Nixon Administration and co-founder of the Blackstone Group, an American financial-services company.
...
*
Malcolm Rifkind
Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind (born 21 June 1946) is a British politician who served in the cabinets of Margaret Thatcher and John Major from 1986 to 1997, and most recently as chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament fro ...
, Former Foreign Secretary, UK
* Ray Rothrock, Executive Chairman, RedSeal, Inc. and Partner Emeritus,
Venrock
* Louis Salkind, President, Bright Horizon Foundation
* Laura Turner Seydel, Chair of Captain Planet Foundation and Director of
Turner Foundation
* Dr.
Nathalie Tocci
Nathalie Tocci is an Italian political scientist and international relations expert. She specializes in the role of the European Union in international affairs and peacekeeping, and the relationship between European states. She has served as the D ...
, Director,
Istituto Affari Internazionali
* Ambassador
Alexa Wesner, Former U.S. Ambassador to Austria
* Dr. Peng Yuan, President,
China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations
The 11th Bureau of the Ministry of State Security, outwardly known as the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR; ; ) under an arrangement called " one institution with two names", is a set of research institutes operate ...
Advisors to the Board of Directors
*
Warren Buffett, CEO of
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. () is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Its main business and source of capital is insurance, from which it invests the float (the retained premi ...
*
Siegfried S. Hecker, Co-director,
Emeritus Board
*
Charles A. Bowsher, Former Comptroller General to the United States and Head of the General Accounting Office
* Liru Cui, Former President of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations
*
Charles B. Curtis, President Emeritus of NTI
*
Susan Eisenhower
* HRH
Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan
*
Pierre Lellouche
*
Jessica T. Mathews
Jessica Tuchman Mathews (born July 4, 1946) is an American international affairs expert with a focus on climate and energy, defense and security, nuclear weapons, and conflict and governance. She was President of the Carnegie Endowment for Intern ...
* Ambassador
Hisashi Owada
is a Japanese former jurist, diplomat and law professor. He served as a judge on the International Court of Justice from 2003 until June 7, 2018, and was President of the Court from 2009 to 2012. He is the father of Empress Masako and the fathe ...
*
William J. Perry
*
Nafis Sadik
*
Amartya Sen
Amartya Kumar Sen (; born 3 November 1933) is an Indian economist and philosopher, who since 1972 has taught and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. Sen has made contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, economi ...
*
Fujia Yang
Financials
NTI receives funding from a number of sources, including foundations, individuals, non-U.S. governments, and corporations. Funders and financial information are listed in NTI’s annual report, which is published online each year. The organization does not accept U.S. government funding.
References
External links
*
*
Global Health Security Index
The Global Health Security Index is an assessment of global health security capabilities in 195 countries prepared by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
His ...
Nuclear Security IndexJSTOR Nuclear Threat Initiative, Research Reports
{{Authority control
2001 establishments in Washington, D.C.
Anti–nuclear weapons movement
Foreign policy and strategy think tanks in the United States
Nuclear proliferation
Nuclear safety in the United States
Organizations established in 2001
Think tanks based in Washington, D.C.
Think tanks established in 2001
Existential risk organizations
Organizations associated with effective altruism