The governments of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States convened for the first meeting of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) Steering Committee. The meeting took place in Washington, DC on February 19, 2025.
"The MSMT’s purpose is to assist with the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) by publishing reports and information based on rigorous inquiry into relevant sanctions violations and evasion attempts as well as successful enforcement efforts," stated a joint release from these nations. The establishment of MSMT occurred in October 2024 after Russia's veto in March 2024 led to the disbandment of the UN Security Council's 1718 Committee Panel of Experts.
The member states involved with MSMT have expressed their unified commitment to maintaining international peace and security. They aim to protect global nonproliferation regimes while addressing threats posed by DPRK's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. "The MSMT Steering Committee underscores our shared determination to fully implement relevant UNSCRs regarding the DPRK," they affirmed. Furthermore, they emphasized that dialogue remains an open path and urged all nations to participate in global efforts for sustaining international peace and security amidst ongoing threats from DPRK and entities facilitating its UNSCR violations.
