Kurt M. Campbell Deputy Secretary of State | Official Website
The United States and Thailand jointly hosted a Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Workshop in Bangkok from November 20-21, 2024. This event aimed to strengthen regional cooperation against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The workshop included 64 leaders from various sectors such as civilian, law enforcement, and military across countries including Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Thailand.
Participants engaged in discussions on pathways for WMD proliferation and tactics used by entities to conceal illicit cargos. They also explored legal frameworks for interdicting such cargo. The workshop featured expert briefings with notable input from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs on global threats related to proliferation. It also included panel discussions and a scenario-based tabletop discussion addressing diverse challenges.
Since its inception in 2003, PSI aims to stop or impede transfers of WMDs and related materials to states or non-state actors of concern. A total of 115 states have endorsed the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles.
This event marks the third occurrence in Southeast Asia since 2019. It supports regional efforts in counterproliferation interdiction and sanctions implementation while helping states meet their UN Security Council Resolution 1540 obligations. The U.S. anticipates future collaborations with regional partners through regular PSI capacity-building activities hosted by Southeast Asian states.
Participation in PSI involves endorsing its Statement of Interdiction Principles. By doing so, partners commit politically to prevent shipments related to WMDs according to domestic and international laws.
