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Regional Cooperation High on the Agenda at the IAEA’s 69th General Conference

Over 200 delegates attend annual regional meetings on the margins of the IAEA’s 69th General Conference.

Ellen Swabey-Van de Borne, IAEA Department of Technical Cooperation

Each year, the IAEA General Conference gathers delegates from around the world to debate and decide on issues that shape the agency’s work — from budgets and programmes to peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology and energy.  (Photo: D. Calma/IAEA)

Over 200 delegates attended four annual regional meetings on the margins of the IAEA’s 69th General Conference to coordinate the activities of the AFRA, ARASIA, ARCAL and RCA regional cooperative agreements. The conclusions emerging from these meetings will inform the design of new projects, the development of new initiatives and the identification of regional priorities for the next year. 

Regional and South-South cooperation are key pillars of the IAEA’s technical cooperation (TC) programme. The TC programme helps countries sustainably address their most urgent priorities, such as strengthening healthcare or energy security, through the application of nuclear science and technology. One element of this support is through South-South Cooperation at a regional level, such as sharing resources, transferring knowledge and participating in training. These activities are coordinated by the four regional cooperative agreements: AFRA for IAEA Member States in Africa, ARASIA for Arab States in Asia, ARCAL for Latin America and the Caribbean, and RCA for countries in Asia and the Pacific.

Each year during the IAEA’s General Conference, parties to all four Regional Cooperative Agreements hold their annual meeting to advance shared regional priorities and exchange knowledge and best practices. Europe and Central Asia’s National Liaison Officers and Assistants also meet in during the General Conference to review the implementation of TC projects, share best practices and challenges, and discuss ways to improve project design and monitoring. 

What are Regional Cooperative Agreements?

Regional Cooperative Agreements are formal inter-governmental agreements that serve as a framework for IAEA Member States to intensify their collaboration through programmes and projects focused on the shared needs of specific regions, and to promote the application of nuclear science and technology at the regional level. The TC Division for Europe also has a regional strategy and profile in place to promote collaboration and knowledge exchange in Europe and Central Asia.

What are NLOs and NLAs?

Designated by the relevant government authority, National Liaison Officers (NLOs) and Assistants (NLAs) play an important role in the delivery of the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme: “As the IAEA does not have country teams on the ground, NLOs and NLAs play a crucial role representing their countries, conveying national priorities, and acting as the primary channel of communication between the IAEA and Member States,” said Hua Liu, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Department, during this year’s meeting of NLOs and NLAs from Europe and Central Asia.

New AFRA Chair Pledges to Help Countries with Better Cancer Management, Clean Energy and Food Security

The 36th Annual Meeting of AFRA representatives held on the margins of the IAEA’s 69th General Conference was opened by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. (Photo: J. O’Brien/IAEA)

The first point on the agenda of AFRA’s 36th annual meeting was welcoming its new Chairman, David Tsere, Botswana’s Minister of Communication and Innovation. 

“It is an honour to lead AFRA for the next year, during which I will work hard to ensure that the benefits of nuclear science and technology for cancer management, climate mitigation, stable energy and food security can be enjoyed by all our members,” Tsere said. 
 
In addition to endorsing all recommendations made by the 36th Technical Working Group Meeting in Botswana earlier this year, delegates discussed new AFRA Regional Designated Centres, future TC regional project designs and the 2024 AFRA Annual Report.

ARASIA Strengthens South-South Cooperation and Designates two New Regional Resource Centres in Environmental Monitoring

Representatives from the two newly designated Regional Resource Centres for environmental monitoring in Jordan and Kuwait sign and display the signed Memorandums of Understanding between their organizations and the IAEA. (Photos: J. O’Brien/IAEA)

A keystone moment in this year’s ARASIA annual meeting was the designation of two new Regional Resource Centres (RRCs) in Jordan and Kuwait for environmental monitoring – joining five RRCs already active in the fields of nuclear medicine and dosimetry. RRCs support capacity building in the region. 

“This ceremony not only celebrates the outstanding capabilities and dedication of the designated centres, but also symbolizes the spirit of partnership and collaboration that underpins all our regional projects,” said Bilal Nsouli, ARASIA Chair.

The meeting also discussed a proposed regional seedbank feasibility study; lessons learned from current regional projects in health, agriculture and the environment; and plans for the next TC cycle – including closer collaboration with UN partners in the field of cultural heritage.

ARCAL Welcomes New President from Costa Rica

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi addresses the ARCAL meeting. (Photo: J. O’Brien/IAEA) 

ARCAL’s annual gathering marked the transfer of the presidency from Alex Wetzig, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Chile to the IAEA, to Olga Marta Sauma Uribe, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the IAEA. 

"During its presidency, Costa Rica will strive to build on Chile’s successes to further strengthen regional cooperation and promote a culture of dialogue, growth, tangible results, and continuous improvement,” Saume said.

The meeting covered the ARCAL programme, ongoing and upcoming regional projects in marine environmental protection, cancer care, food and agriculture and the sterile insect technique, and the ARCAL impact assessment process.

RCA Delegates Welcome Launch of New Socioeconomic Impact Assessment Publications

The IAEA’s senior leadership team and RCA delegates present two new socioeconomic impact assessments on air quality monitoring and food safety. (D. Calma/IAEA)

During their annual gathering, RCA representatives from across Asia and the Pacific applauded the launch of two new socioeconomic impact assessments on air quality monitoring and food safety. 

“These new publications, along with previous case studies on plant mutation breeding, non-destructive testing and radiotherapy, are a testament to the impactful contribution of the RCA in areas critical to human and environmental well-being,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in his welcome to the delegates. 

The annual gathering also discussed the RCA programme, upcoming projects for the 2026-2027 TC cycle, and alignment with the IAEA’s flagship initiatives Rays of Hope, Atoms4Food, NUTEC Plastics, ZODIAC and Atoms4NetZero. 

Europe and Central Asia’s NLOs and NLAs Meet to Finetune Project Quality

NLOs and NLAs from Europe and Central Asia discuss project proposals for the TC programme and ways to improve project design and monitoring at their annual gathering. (Photo: O. Yusuf/IAEA)

During their annual gathering, NLOs and NLAs from Europe and Central Asia reviewed existing TC projects and discussed how to enhance the quality of project design and monitoring going forward. They also discussed how to attract more women to the nuclear field and how to align their efforts more closely with the IAEA’s flagship initiatives ZODIAC, Rays of Hope, NUTEC Plastics, and Atoms4Food. 
 
“It has been a wonderful opportunity to meet with colleagues from all around Europe and Central Asia,” said Aziz Ashirmetov, Chief Specialist of the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Department of Uzbekistan’s Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety. “I return energised and full of ideas to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology even better in my country,” he added. 

In his closing remarks, the IAEA’s Hua Liu underscored the importance of high-quality project design and national ownership to ensure programme effectiveness, build partnerships and mobilize resources for future success.