IAEA Welcomes New National Liaison Officers from the Asia and the Pacific Region

Over the course of five days, meeting participants familiarised themselves with the TC programme and the IAEA policy framework and took part in group work on the roles and responsibilities of an NLO/NLA. In addition, IAEA mechanisms and tools for the effective and efficient delivery of the programme and the practical aspects of programming TC programme cycles were demonstrated by IAEA staff. Wang Jianping, NLO, China Atomic Energy Authority added “This meeting was very useful in learning about the services offered by the IAEA through its TC programme to its Member States, as well as providing us with a good opportunity to network multilaterally”.

Two technical visits were also organized, one to the IAEA’s Nuclear Sciences and Applications laboratories in Seibersdorf, as well as to the IAEA Isotope Hydrology Laboratory, located at the IAEA Headquarters in Vienna.

The Asia region has a high number of most newcomer countries planning to start operating their first nuclear power reactors: of the 56 new reactors under construction worldwide, 39 are in Asia^[1]. In line with this regional trend, presentations from TC staff and other technical departments emphasised the importance of nuclear and radiation safety.

The meeting, held from 25 to 29 June 2018, was also an opportunity for NLOs to network and to exchange experiences and lessons learned via national presentations on overcoming challenges. Bui Thi Thuy Anh, NLA from Viet Nam said: “This meeting was useful not only to me as NLO, but also to my colleagues at home as I will share this training with them so that they may also increase their knowledge of the TC programme.” Ana Elena L. Conjares, NLO from the Philippines highlighted the importance of networking during the meeting by saying: “This meeting eased the learning curve as a new NLO, and provided opportunities to resolve issues with other NLOs that are not always possible to solve by email”.

Upon returning to their countries, NLOs and NLAs are expected to work closely with the Division for Asia and the Pacific, aiming to build human and institutional capacity in Member States to safely utilize nuclear technologies to contribute to national development and address regional issues. Oscar Acuna, Section Head, TC Division for Asia and the Pacific added: “NLOs will also make the public aware of the work of the IAEA and of nuclear science and technology’s contribution to sustainable development”.

^[1] IAEA PRIS Database