IAEA selects Egypt as regional Atomic training centre
Egypt, Economics, 8/10/2005

"The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has selected Egypt as a permanent regional training center for nuclear sciences and applications.

The center will also use the expertise of Egyptian nuclear specialists in projects sponsored by the agency in Arab and African countries," Head of the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA) Ali Islam said yesterday.

Islam said the relation between Egypt and IAEA is characterized by transparency and confidence in Egypt's adherence to international standards and safeguards set by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT.

In an interview with the Middle East News Agency (MENA) on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the IAEA Energy Committee, Islam said the Agency is cooperating with the IAEA.

"That cooperation is based on full confidence in the IAEA's role in serving long-term local development plans, protecting the public and conserving the environment through its program, which is dedicated to peaceful purposes in the service of the community," he said.

Islam went on to say that Egypt obtains IAEA approval to set up an average of eight projects a year.

The projects may be proposed by the IAEA itself, or the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, or the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources.

Islam said the IAEA's scientists could devise peaceful applications of atomic energy in agriculture, irrigation, health, medicine, industry and environment conservation.

"The IAEA has achieved great success in processing some agricultural products, which in turn has resulted in bringing American and Canadian companies to purchase the right to marketing such products in the world market," he added.

The IAEA has become increasingly interested in the applications of nuclear energy in land reclamation and the treatment of precious stones.

The IAEA chief said the agency has also scored tremendous success in the production of radioactive isotopes for peaceful purposes, such as agriculture, industry and environment conservation, through its two research reactors, of which one has a capacity of 2 megawatts, and the other, 22 megawatts.

Islam said the authority could attain out its objectives for the last period and will go on with this role depending on its experts who conduct valuable research that will be useful to the rest of the world.

"The authority has proved to be of much benefit to research in economic development and its projects could acquire added value," he said, adding that the IAEA Research Support Fund receives LE4 million a year from the State.

"The Fund, injected into other development projects, could generate an annual income of LE14 million," he told MENA.

Previous Stories:
  Abul-Gheit: North Korea keen on posting Egypt on developments of its nuclear programme   (6/6/2005)
  Egyptian newspaper criticizes US policy   (5/31/2005)
  Al-Ahram: Allegations on 'Egypt's uranium enrichment' groundless   (4/12/2005)
  Indian diplomat: Trade balance in Egypt's favor for first time since 1994   (8/12/2003)
  Nuclear power station to be set up by 2010   (5/4/2002)
  World companies compete to prospect for oil in 32 new regions   (3/19/2002)

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