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Threat Convergence:
| New Pathways to WMD Proliferation?
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 The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), global terrorism, and problems emanating from weak and failing states constitute the main threats to global security in our time. No longer bound by the rules of a system of states, new international criminal and terrorist networks flourish in the facilitative environments of weak and failing states, cultural enclaves in strong states, and ungoverned spaces. These networks of criminals and traffickers, terrorists and radicals, and the volatile environments that enable their activities, represent an entirely different threat from that envisioned by the crafters of today’s policies and institutions meant to secure and safeguard weapons of mass destruction. The Fund for Peace initiated the Threat Convergence project in an attempt to adjust and synthesize policy approaches in the now inter-related domains of non-proliferation, counter-terrorism and weak and failing states. With this goal in mind, the Threat Convergence program supports interdisciplinary research to generate policy recommendations aligned with the following cascading objectives:
- Foster closer research collaboration among experts in the three fields of WMD proliferation, global terrorism, and weak and failing states.
- Produce fresh approaches to illicit transnational networks in and across weak and failing states or ungoverned spaces, and linkages among these networks and the potential buyers and sellers of WMD.
- Undertake in-depth field research in the regions identified to be most vulnerable to potential terrorist or criminal acquisition of a WMD.
- Make specific and regionally-appropriate policy recommendations to thwart potential WMD proliferation through such networks.
- Present the findings and recommendations to policy makers and engage them in developing new approaches to nonproliferation strategies.
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