This project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, aims to counter state-sponsored disinformation that undermines Non-proliferation, Arms Control, and Disarmament (NACD) Conventions and the cooperative threat reduction efforts of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP) .
While many GP Members and partners have engaged in successful counter-disinformation efforts in the past, to date these efforts have traditionally been siloed within the individual areas of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threats and have been performed in relative isolation by the impacted GP partner countries. In 2023, under Japan’s presidency and Canada’s lead, Global Partnership members affirmed their collective commitment to see WMD counter-disinformation efforts occur in a more collaborative and comprehensive approach to tackle this complex challenge.
In support of this GP decision, Global Affairs Canada has brought together four partners to lead this work: The Atlantic Council Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (JHCHS), King’s College London (KCL), and Open Nuclear Network (ONN).
This effort will initially focus on CBRN disinformation in the context of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine but will remain adaptable to address other high-priority threats in the CBRN disinformation space. The project, which will be implemented in coordination with the G7’s Rapid Response Mechanism and other relevant counter-disinformation efforts, aims to provide a more solid evidence-base for GP members and partners from which to identify, understand and develop mitigation strategies; raise awareness among LMICs; and, ultimately, reduce the impact of hostile CBRN disinformation.
For further information on the project or to discuss ways to collaborate, please contact the project team at [email protected].
