The Assistance Support Initiative
In 2004 the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1540, which stipulates that all States must adopt and enforce laws and regulations to specifically prohibit the spread of weapons of mass destruction within or across their borders, complementing and supporting implementation of other nonproliferation treaties, conventions and resolutions. However, many States worldwide struggle to implement these obligations effectively. Many States have submitted requests for assistance to the 1540 Committee. Similarly, many States, international governmental and non-governmental organizations have offered assistance.
This demonstrated interest in requesting and offering assistance has struggled to transform into tangible action. The challenge of transforming requests into practical assistance frustrates donors and requestors alike and, thus, diminishes prospects for the full and effective implementation of Resolution 1540. The 1540 Committee has identified the inability of many requesting governments to move beyond high-level, generic statements of need toward specific requests tied to a sustainable national implementation strategy as one of the challenges impeded effective action.
In response to this problem, the Stimson Center created the Assistance Support Initiative (ASI), funded by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. In close cooperation with the 1540 Committee, its Group of Experts, and other partners, the ASI aims to help States build their capacity to make more effective assistance requests, including the creation of a public, searchable database of relevant assistance programs and projects. The searchable database serves as a single source of valuable information for States interested in obtaining assistance on the programs offered by States, international government organizations, and non-governmental entities. The data also helps interested parties to those to avoid “reinventing the wheel,” as they can find out who has done what with whom and when in specific regions and countries. In addition to information on programs and projects, the tool provides points of contact for each program available to registered users to facilitate stronger connections between assistance providers and those in need of assistance.
Christina McAllister, Database Director
Christina McAllister directs the Assistance Support Initiative, and is a Senior Fellow and the Director of the Partnerships in Proliferation Prevention Program at the Stimson Center. Prior to joining Stimson, Christina served as a senior advisor to U.S. Department of Defense offices responsible for non-proliferation and countering weapons of mass destruction (CWMD). As a Booz Allen Hamilton consultant, she led strategic communications initiatives for the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), U.S. Special Operations Command, and the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense Programs. From 2006 to 2014 she led teams supporting the work of CTR’s Biological Threat Reduction Program to strengthen detection and reporting of dangerous infectious disease outbreaks and enhance biosafety and biosecurity practices around the world. She subsequently led an advisory team in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for CWMD Policy.
Annie Trentham, Research Assistant
Annie Trentham is a Research Assistant with the Partnerships in Proliferation Prevention Program at the Stimson Center and Coordinator for the International Nuclear Security Forum. She graduated from Centre College with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and from The Fletcher School at Tufts University with a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy. Prior to joining the Stimson Center, Annie worked with the Education Center at the Middle East Institute as the Education Program Officer. Her work mainly focuses on nuclear security, combatting far-right extremism, and military action around nuclear power plants.
The Stimson Center
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