Qatar Expresses Satisfaction with Fruitful Cooperation with IAEA to Promote National Expertise, Implement Technical Cooperation Activities.

The State of Qatar expressed its satisfaction with the existing fruitful cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), especially in the areas of reviewing the infrastructure related to radiation safety and nuclear security, in a way that ensures the modernization and strengthening of its technical systems, which is in line with international safety standards, the advancement of national expertise, and the implementation of technical cooperation activities and projects in the State of Qatar.

This came in the State of Qatar’s statement, delivered by HE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IAEA’s Governor from the State of Qatar Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, before the IAEA’s Board of Governors meeting, currently convened in Vienna regarding the agency’s report for 2022.

In the statement, His Excellency praised the role played by the Director General of the IAEA in following up on the situation of the Ukrainian power plants, especially the Zaporizhzhia plant, and implementing safeguards measures in it despite the military activities that form a difficult environment for the agency.

Regarding the agency’s Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC), HE Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi indicated that the State of Qatar had appointed its national representative in this program and that the Animal Resources Department at the Ministry of Municipality continues to cooperate fully with the agency to establish a specialized laboratory structure to determine and diagnose the zoonotic diseases. His Excellency expressed the State of Qatar’s welcome to the agency’s implementation of the initiatives and projects that are in the interest of strengthening the role of NUclear TEChnology for Controlling Plastic Pollution (NUTEC Plastics); its activities in the field of nutrition; advanced radiotherapy techniques, cancer prevention, and control through the Rays of Hope initiative; and the use of isotope hydrology to evaluate the management of water resources and the effects of climate change on water availability.

In the State of Qatar’s statement, His Excellency stressed the importance of the IAEA’s Seibersdorf laboratories in assisting member states, especially during exceptional emergencies regarding combating zoonotic and transboundary diseases, as well as in many other aspects. His Excellency expressed Qatar’s welcome to continue to work on establishing a center for training and clarification in the field of nuclear security in these laboratories, and its looking forward to starting work in this center due to its active role in enhancing the capacity-building of member states in the field of nuclear security.

The State of Qatar participates in the IAEA’s Board of Governors meeting for June 2023 with a delegation headed by HE Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IAEA’s Governor from the State of Qatar Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi and HE Sultan bin Salmeen Al Mansoori, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Austria, and the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and international organizations in Vienna.

Source: Qatar News Agency