By Kim Westerich-Fellner. On 12 May, on the margins of the NPT Review Conference in New York, the Expert Panel on Nuclear Disarmament Verification (EXPAND) convened diplomats, researchers, and practitioners for an interactive side event at the German House.
The event offered a first insight into the work and objectives of the newly established expert panel, introducing participants to its research agenda on nuclear arms control and disarmament verification, while creating space to exchange perspectives and explore opportunities for future collaboration. 

The discussion opened with remarks by Thomas Göbel, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Germany to the Conference on Disarmament, and concluded with reflections from Tor Henrik Andersen, Special Envoy for Nuclear Disarmament Affairs at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In an interactive format, EXPAND experts presented key research scenarios from across the panel’s thematic work streams and exchanged perspectives with state delegates, technical experts, and practitioners working across nuclear security, arms control, and disarmament verification.

EXPAND is an independent, non-governmental panel funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, tasked with elaborating on the technological bases and relevant mechanisms of nuclear disarmament verification (NDV). It complements inter-governmental and multilateral processes through independent, expert-driven analysis. Led by Forschungszentrum Jülich, the EXPAND brings together senior international experts from leading research institutions in their personal capacity.
EXPAND is organized in thematic work streams addressing plausible future disarmament and arms control scenarios. Building on existing research and lessons learned from the NDV community, these work streams assess applicable verification technologies and mechanisms, identify remaining challenges, and outline practical pathways forward.

More information on EXPAND can be found here.

EXPAND extends its gratitude to the German Federal Foreign Office and the German House for sponsoring and hosting the event.