Central criterion

All IAEA technical cooperation projects must meet a central criterion that demonstrates strong government commitment to project objectives, as outlined in the 2002 Review of the TC Strategy (GOV/INF/2002/8/Mod.1). A project must either:

• relate clearly to an area that is a prerequisite for use of nuclear technologies and that has a good chance of achieving the expected outcomes: or,
• address an area where there is a national programme enjoying strong government commitment with evidence of significant financial support, and where nuclear techniques can play a fundamental role for the success of the project

If a government supports a national programme to solve a development problem, then it is one that the government considers to be a national priority. And, if a government partners with the Agency to contribute to solving that problem by applying a nuclear technique, this is a good indication that the nuclear technique has a comparative advantage, or is crucial to the solution of the problem.