International Atomic Energy Agency DG in town today

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano will visit Sri Lanka on 14 March for a one day official visit on an invitation extended by Government of Sri Lanka.

During his stay in Sri Lanka, Director General Amano will visit National Centre for Non Destructive Testing (NCNDT) and Sri Lanka Gamma Centre of Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board which are the two scientific centres established with the collaboration of IAEA. He will also visit the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council.

IAEA is an independent intergovernmental, science and technology based organisation established in 1957 in the United Nations family that serves as the global focal point for nuclear cooperation and assists its member states, in the context of social and economic goals, in planning for and using nuclear science and technology for various peaceful purposes, including the generation of electricity and facilitates the transfer of such technology and knowledge in a sustainable manner to developing member states.

Sri Lanka is a founding member state of IAEA since 1957 and it receives technical assistance through the IAEA Technical Cooperation program in order to develop nuclear science and technology in the country.

The Technical Cooperation (TC) program is the IAEA’s major mechanism for transferring nuclear technology to member states. This program builds capacities to support the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology, helping member states to address key development priorities in areas such as human health and nutrition, food and agriculture, water resource management and the environment and industrial applications.

Sri Lanka utilises peaceful applications of nuclear technology only in non-power areas and the country was able to obtain considerable amount of technical assistance from IAEA during past. Establishment of several nationally important scientific institutes such as Sri Lanka Gamma Centre, National Centre for Non Destructive Testing, Nuclear Medicine Unit at University of Peradeniya. Provision of many training opportunities for Sri Lankan scientists, medical doctors, engineers and medical physicists who are involved in the nuclear field were done through the assistance received from the IAEA. Unique equipment and instruments used in the nuclear field which cannot be purchased in local market have been provided to various institutes in Sri Lanka through IAEA technical cooperation program. Sri Lanka also expects to obtain such technical assistance from IAEA in future too in order to launch planned programs which are to be implemented utilising nuclear technology in the country.