The 50-year history of cooperation between the IAEA and Singapore is rich with examples of needs addressed and milestones reached. As a recipient country of the technical cooperation (TC) programme, Singapore has been able to leverage nuclear science and technology for the benefit of its citizens, economy and the local environment. And as a donor to the programme, Singapore is taking steps to support nuclear-related capacity building throughout the Asia and the Pacific region and beyond.
On 26 January 2015, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano and Her Excellency Grace Fu, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Singapore-IAEA Third Country Training Programme (TCTP). Since 2000, Singapore has been working with the IAEA to provide technical assistance to developing Member States in order to ensure the safe and peaceful application of nuclear technologies. The new Memorandum formalizes and strengthens this already fruitful relationship by laying the groundwork for future technical assistance across a wide range of areas, including nuclear medicine, nuclear safety, public education, industry, and the environment.
Under the new Memorandum-which supersedes a similar document signed in 2000- IAEA Member States will nominate candidates to attend training events hosted by Singapore, designed with the aim of providing the participating countries with the human resources necessary to meet their respective needs. English-language seminars, workshops, scientific visits and a number of IAEA Fellowships will all be offered through the Third Country Training Programme.
In his statement to the 58th IAEA General Conference, His Excellency Ambassador Foo Kok Jwee remarked that Singapore has collaborated with the IAEA to provide technical assistance to its regional neighbours for several years. "To date, we have organized 23 scientific visits, 93 fellowship attachments and 29 regional training events in subjects [including] nuclear medicine, radiotherapy and radiation protection." As the new Memorandum has entered into force, there is little doubt that Singapore will continue to seek new areas and new ways in which to provide relevant technical assistance through professional training for the benefit of developing IAEA Member States.