For several years, the Russian Federation and the IAEA have cooperated to promote nuclear security. For instance, expert training is provided at state-of-the-art training facilities in the Russian Federation. This cooperation intensified on 2 December 2010, when the Russian Federation and the IAEA concluded an agreement on a voluntary contribution to the IAEA's Nuclear Security Fund.
The Russian Delegation, headed by Ambassador Grigory Berdennikov, and Mr. Denis Flory, IAEA Deputy Director General and head of the Department for Nuclear Safety and Security, signed the agreement through which the Russian Federation will provide US$6.5 million in funding.
The contribution will be used to enhance Member States´ expert capacity in nuclear security, such as training in reporting illicit nuclear trafficking, evaluating nuclear security, reducing risk, as well as improving security to protect people, property and the environment from security events involving nuclear or other radioactive materials.
The training will be conducted in part at the purpose-built Interdepartmental Special Training Centre, the world´s first international nuclear security training centre, located in Obninsk, Russia.