Topnews, Statements

10. September 2019

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE FRIENDS OF RENUAL DELIVERED BY AMBASSADOR RS MOLEKANE, RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE, IAEA, BOARD OF GOVERNORS, 10 SEPTEMBER 2019, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

AGENDA ITEM 5: Strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications

Chairperson,

I have the honour to address the Board on behalf of the Co-Chairs of the Friends of ReNuAL, Germany and South Africa.

Chair, the Co-Chairs would like to thank the Deputy Director General, Ms Mokthar and the ReNuAL team for their continued dedication and commitment to the ReNuAL project, without whom notable milestones would not have been met.

Member States have throughout the years received support in a number of areas such as animal production and health, industrial applications, food and agriculture, soil and water resource management, environment and human health and in this regard, the Agency´s Nuclear Applications Laboratories in Seibersdorf and ReNuAL as a project remain essential to the IAEA´s activities to strengthen nuclear science, technology and applications for peaceful uses.

We are pleased to highlight to the Board that the ReNuAL project to renovate the Nuclear Applications Laboratories at Seibersdorf has seen remarkable progress over the years and has now begun to deliver on its promise to Member States and on the late DG Amano’s vision.

The opening and operationalization of the Linear Accelerator Facility will play a major role in ensuring the provision of reliable cancer treatment and in reducing the risks related to inadequate dosimetry practises – as the Linac will allow the Dosimetry Laboratory to improve its support to Member States by enhancing calibration and audit services for over 3400 medical Linacs, worldwide.

The June opening of this facility, Madam Chair, is yet another key milestone in the project having marked the first fully operational achievement of this project.

With all major construction having been completed as reported in the Strengthening document, the IAEA’s possession of the new Insect Pest Control Laboratory building from the contractor in mid-August, kick-started the sequenced transition that will continue over the next few months and we view this aspect of the project as a notable milestone.

Chairperson,

We are also pleased to welcome Iran and Nigeria to the Group of Friends of ReNuAL, and we look forward to celebrating their contributions during the brick placement ceremony scheduled for Monday, 16 September, on the margins of the General Conference.

ReNuAL has become the ultimate illustration of how we, as Member States, can harness our efforts in the areas of nuclear science and technology, to advance the cause of humanity. Collaborating with the Secretariat, we will continue to further realise the Agency´s motto of “Atoms for peace and development.”

Chairperson,

While ReNuAL is almost ready for completion with the operation of the new buildings in the near future, an additional €2.6 million in extrabudgetary contributions are needed to complete implementation of the entire project. We thus encourage Member States in a position to do so to support this effort.  A new further challenge will be the total enhancement of the laboratories that will remain in the existing buildings. A detailed strategy and plans for resource mobilization efforts beyond the ReNuAL project will be needed.

In this regard, we would  like to express our appreciation for the Agency’s efforts aimed at extending its partnerships and resource mobilization base beyond its traditional partners, including the utilisation of the United Nations Global Marketplace.

In conclusion Chair, as a Co-Chair of the Friends of ReNuAL, I undertook my first tour of the laboratories at Seibersdorf last week and I was in awe of the in-depth research and work done at these laboratories and we , as co-chairs, would like to take the opportunity to encourage Member States, through the Governors, Ambassadors, and the experts who have not as yet been able to visit and tour the ReNuAL site at Seibersdorf to find time to join the tour on 19 September, during the week of the General Conference and experience the achievements first hand.

Thank you Chairperson.

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