Jari Luoto elected to lead position in Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism

Press release 105/2017
2 June 2017

Finland’s candidate, Ambassador Jari Luoto, was elected to a lead position in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) at its Plenary Meeting in Tokyo on 2 June. Luoto will work as the policy coordinator of the initiative for the next two years.

The initiative aims to combat nuclear threats and nuclear terrorism. It works to strengthen both national and global preparedness to prevent and detect nuclear threats and the capacity to respond to these threats. The GICNT is co-chaired by Russia and the United States, which launched the initiative at presidential level in 2006. It focuses on practical activities, which also include joint exercises. The GICNT is a partnership of 88 nations and five official observers, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), and the European Union (EU).

Over the years, Finland has actively contributed to global nuclear security work. Besides, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland has special expertise in the area. Kari Peräjärvi, Principal Adviser at STUK has chaired the Nuclear Detection Working Group (NDWG) of GICNT in 2015–2017 and will now move to serve as Luoto’s Special Adviser. Finland hosted the previous GICNT Plenary Meeting in Helsinki in 2015.

“Finland is strongly committed to maintaining and strengthening the international security. Terrorism and its extreme form, nuclear terrorism, are serious threats and determined efforts must be taken to combat them through cross-border international cooperation,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini.

Ambassador Luoto will transfer to his new post from Switzerland where he has served as Head of the Mission of Finland since 2014. Before that he has served as Head of Mission at the Embassy of Finland in Brazil, the Baltic Sea Ambassador at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and State Secretary of the Government Secretariat for EU Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Inquiries: Sannamaaria Vanamo, Director, Unit for Arms Control, tel. +358 295 351 529 and Ambassador Jari Luoto, tel. +4179 7517 172, Kari Peräjärvi, Principal Advisor at STUK, tel. +358 9 759 88705

The Foreign Ministry’s email addresses are in the format [email protected]