ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the summits have produced a stronger sense of international responsibility, encouraged greater collaboration, and created valuable new tools and precedents for strengthening global nuclear security. Primary responsibility for effective nuclear security remains a national concern, but debates about the appropriate balance between national sovereignty and global responsibility have gained traction. The Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) process has played a critical role in gradually reshaping conventional approaches to nuclear security, and the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around the summits has helped foster these changes. The first summit, held in Washington in April 2010, established the goal of reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism by strengthening nuclear security measures "through responsible national actions and sustained and effective international cooperation". Many countries also announced additional actions they would take to improve nuclear security at home and abroad. It reviews how the NSS process has evolved and engaged a greater array of stakeholders in nuclear security.
