The message was conveyed by a Vietnamese official at the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), held from September 14-18 at the Vienna International Centre in Austria.

Nguyen Hoang Linh, director of the Department for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, delivered Vietnam’s national statement, setting out the country’s consistent policy of developing and applying nuclear energy for peaceful purposes to support socio-economic development, ensure energy security and promote sustainable development.

Vietnam is implementing its Strategy for the Development and Application of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes to 2035, with a Vision to 2050, and preparing the necessary conditions for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power projects and a Nuclear Science and Technology Centre with a new research reactor.

He stressed that nuclear programmes and projects must be implemented responsibly and transparently, with nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation treated as top priorities.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Vietnam also stepped up discussions with international partners on nuclear safety, infrastructure, regulation and human resources.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh who leaded the Vietnamese delegation held meetings with Karine Herviou, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, and Najat Mokhtar, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, as well as leaders of the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Energy.

The discussions focused on strengthening IAEA support for Vietnam in developing nuclear power infrastructure, completing the regulatory framework, enhancing nuclear safety and security capacity, developing human resources, and promoting nuclear science and technology applications.

The Vietnamese delegation also met with Alexander Trembitsky, Chairman of the Russian Federal Nuclear Regulatory Agency (Rostechnadzor), and Evgeniy Abakumov, Deputy Director General for Science and Strategy at Rosatom State Corporation, to discuss steps to implement the cooperation agreement and explore new areas of collaboration.

The talks covered areas where Russia has expertise, including quantum technology, fusion and the application of artificial intelligence in nuclear energy.

The Department for Radiation and Nuclear Safety held working sessions with IAEA units responsible for legal affairs, safeguards, nuclear security and technical cooperation. It also exchanged views with the Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC), the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS), Électricité de France (EDF), the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and other international partners.

Research cooperation and human resource development also featured prominently in Vietnam’s activities at the conference.

The Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute also attended the 55th General Conference of the Regional Co-operative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology for Asia and the Pacific. It held bilateral meetings with partners including Rosatom, the International Research Centre based on the MBIR reactor (IRC MBIR), the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS), the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC).

The meetings focused on accelerating the Nuclear Science and Technology Research Centre project, including a new research reactor in Dong Nai, and exploring cooperation and consultancy for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power projects.

The partners also discussed research and development, nuclear applications and human resource training in the nuclear field.

The IAEA General Conference is an important annual policy forum where member states review the organisation’s activities and discuss major issues concerning the peaceful use of nuclear energy, nuclear safety and security, safeguards and nuclear non-proliferation, technical cooperation, and nuclear science and technology applications in healthcare, agriculture and the environment.

Vietnam’s participation in the 70th IAEA General Conference underscored its commitment to the peaceful development and application of nuclear energy, alongside efforts to deepen international cooperation and uphold standards on nuclear safety, security and nuclear non-proliferation.

Vietnam and Russia pledge to step up Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant project

VOV.VN - Vietnam and Russia have agreed to strengthen cooperation across a range of key sectors, including the early implementation of the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant project.