Argentina and IAEA sign 2 nuclear cooperation agreements

The Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs, Santiago Cafiero, and the Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, signed a cooperation agreement related to oncological treatments and another agreement to control plastic pollution in Antarctica, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Argentina and the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] signed two important cooperation agreements,” the Foreign Ministry said.

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The first agreement establishes a collaboration to join the IAEA’s “Rays of Hope – Cancer treatment for all” initiative.

Through this program, progress will be made in feasibility studies for advanced modalities in nuclear medicine and radiotherapy in research projects, in scientific-technical advice of the competent Argentine institutions in the matter, and in the exchange of information.

The document acknowledges support for “establishing or expanding its radiological medicine capabilities, including medical imaging, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer through radiological medicine.”

The second agreement establishes collaboration in the initiative Nuclear Technology for the Control of Pollution by Plastics (NUTEC Plastics) in Antarctica.

“The agreement will make it possible to fill gaps in knowledge about the situation and the final destination of microplastics in the Antarctic area and thus be able to make better decisions on this issue,” the Argentine Foreign Ministry pointed out.

The two documents were signed within the framework of an official visit by Rafael Grossi to his country of origin during this week.

The Director General of the IAEA, who was received on October 18 by the President, Alberto Fernánez, visited the nuclear facilities of the South American country, such as the Atucha I and II power plants in the province of Buenos Aires (east), as well as the of the Carem modular reactor, the first of its kind to begin construction in the world.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, created in 1957 under the auspices of the United Nations Organization, is the main world forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology and has 173 member states.

With information from Sputnik