US provides over $1 million in new equipment to Uzbekistan

This week, the US Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)’s Office of Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence and the US Department of State’s Export Control and Related Border Security Program (EXBS) continued their long-standing nuclear smuggling detection and deterrence and export control and border security cooperation with Uzbekistan with a donation ceremony with the State Customs Committee. 

To date, NNSA has invested over $16 million in building counter-nuclear smuggling capacity in Uzbekistan, and since signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the SCC in 2017, this cooperation has grown significantly to develop the capabilities and infrastructure of the SCC to advance this mission. 

In 2021, the Memorandum was expanded to include numerous other Uzbekistani agencies to comprehensively develop counter-smuggling operations from interdiction to prosecution.