Proliferation Financing
Proliferators of weapons of mass destruction, such as North Korea and Iran, fund their programmes through illicit means, evading international sanctions in the process.
Access to the financial system and financial services is central to proliferation efforts, and disrupting this financing is key to countering the spread of WMDs. Since 2015 RUSI has produced ground-breaking research in this area, looking at the funds and underlying financial services that enable proliferators and their facilitators to procure, ship and receive illicit goods, and to carry out illicit activities in support of WMD programmes. We have also developed capacity-building tools that reach a vast network of jurisdictions worldwide.
Research projects
View the research programme and projects by the Centre for Finance and Security on this topic.
This programme focuses on sanctions, economic security, and the financial dimension of state threats.
Proliferation financing presents a complex and evolving threat to international security, demanding specialised expertise and robust global collaboration.
This programme focuses on supporting countries in countering illicit financial activities associated with proliferation activity and leveraging our research and expertise.
This project assists governments and private sector actors in conducting a proliferation financing risk assessment.
National Risk Assessments form the cornerstone of a country’s anti-money laundering, counterterrorist financing, and proliferation financing efforts.
Latest publications
View all publicationsOur experts
Tom Keatinge
Director, CFS
Centre for Finance and Security
Darya Dolzikova
Senior Research Fellow
Proliferation and Nuclear Policy
Wojciech Pawlus
Head of Countering Proliferation Financing Programme
Centre for Finance and Security
Fellows
Dr Aaron Arnold
RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, CFS
Centre for Finance and Security
Dr Stephan Blancke
RUSI Associate Fellow, Military Sciences
Emil Dall
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
Catherine Dill
RUSI Associate Fellow, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy
Dr Ashley Hess
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
Kayla Izenman
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
Peter Jones CMG
RUSI Distinguished Fellow, International Security
Anagha Joshi
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
Andrew Mackay
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
Olivia Kearney
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
Robert Norfolk-Whittaker
RUS Associate Fellow, CFS
Allison Owen
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
Dr Daniel Salisbury
RUSI Associate Fellow - Expert in nuclear security and open source intelligence
Dr Jason Shepherd
RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, CFS
Dr Noémi També
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
Malcolm Wright
RUSI Associate Fellow, CFS
