OREANDA-NEWS. The IAEA and its partners will showcase the achievements and impact of technical cooperation over the last six decades and explore strengthened partnerships  with and among Member States, United Nations organizations, financial institutions and the private sector at the first ever conference on the IAEA technical cooperation programme starting tomorrow. 

“The IAEA, with decades of experience in building capacity in nuclear science and technology for development, has the knowledge and delivery mechanism to complement and contribute to the crucial work of its partners,” said Dazhu Yang, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation. “Experience has taught us that shared responsibility and partnerships are essential if we are to effectively help countries use nuclear science and technology to overcome development challenges and achieve a lasting impact.”

Around 1200 participants will gather at IAEA Headquarters in Vienna, including President of Uruguay Tabare Vazquez, President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina Wazed.

The three-day conference will show how the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology can help countries meet their development priorities. Beneficiaries from all regions of the world will share the impact the technical cooperation programme is making in health, nutrition, food security, clean water, the environment, industry, energy planning, nuclear power infrastructure, radiation and nuclear safety. After each session, panellists will discuss concrete examples and examine future approaches, including partnership opportunities, to applying nuclear science and technology for development.  

The conference will also showcase how the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme can contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Achieving the SDGs is not a task that any organization can undertake in isolation,” Yang said. “Collaboration is needed at all levels to increase access to science, technology and innovation.”

Another objective of the conference is to reach out to other international organizations and private sector partners in the development world, and to demonstrate to them the benefits of working in partnership with the IAEA. For example, a side event will explore how public-private partnerships can further benefit countries and increase access to nuclear science and technology as a part of the Agenda 2030.

“Through partnerships between the IAEA, other organizations and Member States, we can ensure that the benefits of applied nuclear science and technology will reach the people who need them most, and that we put our best efforts forward for human well-being, global sustainability and resilience,” Yang said.