"At that first meeting here in Rabat, we were a small but strong partnership of 13 nations. Today, our partnership has 65 nations from all over the world, 22 of which are in attendance today," said Patricia McNerney, deputy assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, at a GICNT seminar in Rabat.

Launched in June 2006 by US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the GICNT programme aims to reinforce control of nuclear facilities and materials in order to prevent terrorist groups from accessing them.

"The growing use of radioactive sources for peaceful ends in a large number of states (...) is considerably increasing the risk of their accessibility and their use by terrorist groups," said Omar Hilale, representing Morocco's Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

McNerney congratulated what she said was a large group of attendees prepared to discuss "issues in the context of the threats and challenges in the Maghreb region and beyond".

Addressing these challenges, she said, involves "preparing for and responding to a nuclear or radiological incident".

Hilale called on the observer states in attendence Tuesday to participate in an "unprecedented partnership against terrorism that is as blind as it is highly destructive".

The meetings conclude Wednesday in Rabat.

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