Ambassador Friedrich Däuble of Germany and IAEA Deputy Director General Aldo Malavasi sign the one million Euros funding agreement towards the modernization of the IAEA nuclear applications laboratories in an event with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano. (Photo: D. Calma/IAEA)
The IAEA has received a contribution of one million Euros from Germany for the modernization of the Agency’s nuclear applications laboratories, which help countries to use nuclear technology in support of development efforts. The funds will go towards strengthening the safety and security of essential equipment used in the areas of agriculture and human health.
Germany announced the contribution during this week’s IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security. The funding agreement was signed today by Ambassador Friedrich Däuble of Germany and IAEA Deputy Director General Aldo Malavasi, in an event with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano. This is the country’s fourth pledge of support to the modernization of the nuclear applications laboratories in Seibersdorf, Austria. Work is proceeding rapidly since construction started in July this year.
The donation will support the completion of two new laboratory buildings, in part by covering a significant portion of the costs for radiological and physical security at the new Insect Pest Control Laboratory. The laboratory provides services that help countries apply the Sterile Insect Technique —an insect birth control method— to combat pests that cause considerable damage to crops and also transmit diseases, such as Zika. The contribution will also cover similar costs related to the construction of a bunker to house a medical linear accelerator (LINAC) at the IAEA Dosimetry Laboratory. The LINAC will help ensure that interested Member States can use this radiotherapy technology safely and effectively.
“I am very grateful for this important pledge by the government of Germany,” said Director General Amano. “The modernization of the nuclear applications laboratories is a priority for the Agency. These funds will help to ensure that the IAEA can further strengthen its support to countries in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, while serving as a model of physical and radiological security for nuclear facilities.”
The project to modernize the nuclear applications laboratories reached its initial funding target of 31 million Euros in September 2016 and since then has received additional 4 million Euros in pledges.
Support to the modernization of the laboratories has not only come from governments. Recently, the Polish Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology – one of the IAEA’s Collaborating Centres –pledged 10,000 Euros towards the construction of the LINAC bunker. In October 2015, the IAEA received a pledge of 10,000 U.S. dollars from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, also an IAEA Collaborating Centre. The Resident Representative of the Permanent Mission of the State of Kuwait to the IAEA, HE Mr Sadiq Marafi, supported the modernization of the laboratories with a personal contribution of 10,000 Euros.
“The renovation of our nuclear applications laboratories enjoys broad support and these pledges show the importance of our work for governments and others,” said Aldo Malavasi, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications.