On 18 September 2018, on the margins of the 19th Meeting of the ARCAL Board of Representatives (ORA), representatives of the National Institute for Nuclear Research of Mexico (ININ) and the Peruvian Institute of Nuclear Energy (IPEN) signed an agreement which aims to foster cooperation between both entities in the areas of capacity building and joint research, particularly as it relates to the production of medicinal radio-compounds.
Developed as part of an ongoing IAEA technical cooperation (TC) project1, the agreement will strengthen and formalize the cooperative endeavors of ININ and IPEN in the areas of radioisotope and radiopharmaceutical production, while accommodating new activities such as the exchange of specialized personnel, nuclear scientific information, equipment and supplies. The new agreement also provides an opportunity to conduct joint research projects on topics of common interest, not only for the participating institutions, but for the entire Latin America and Caribbean region.
The agreement represents an IAEA effort to promote collaboration and exchange of knowledge and technology in the application of nuclear science and technology, which will contribute to the sustainability of both institutions.
After the signature, Lydia Paredes, Director General of ININ, emphasized the importance of this type of agreement, which supports and reinforces cooperation among nuclear institutes in the region for the effective promotion and application of nuclear technologies.
Susana Petrick, President of IPEN, underscored the value of exchanging knowledge and developing common initiatives among institutions, such as those identified by this agreement, reiterating that they are essential tools for the sustainability of nuclear institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Through support for such agreements, as well as through other activities organized under this ongoing TC ARCAL project—such as the production of guidelines and trainings on the strategic and business plans of nuclear institutions—the IAEA remains committed to assisting countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to optimize the contribution of nuclear science and technology to sustainable development.
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1 RLA0062, ‘Promoting the Sustainability and Networking of National Nuclear Energy Institutions’.
