Cairo: Egypt's Atomic Energy Authority, in cooperation with the Arab Atomic Energy Agency, launched on Sunday, May 17, 2026, a specialized training course on the use of ionizing radiation to eliminate insect pests for plant health purposes and agricultural quarantine requirements related to export crops. The program, running from May 17 to 21, brings together specialists and workers in the agriculture and plant quarantine sectors from across the Arab world.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Nader Abdel Halim, Deputy Chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority for research projects, stated that the course reflects the authority's role in providing scientific and practical solutions supporting the national economy. He added that radiation treatment has become an urgent and effective alternative to chemical pesticides and fumigants in order to comply with increasingly strict international standards.

Abdel Halim emphasized that the authority aims through such programs to transfer expertise in radiation processing technologies to ensure the safety of Egyptian and Arab agricultural exports, as well as to improve export efficiency and open new markets for Arab products.

Tarek El-Maghraby, representing the Arab Atomic Energy Agency, highlighted that cooperation with Egypt's Atomic Energy Authority reflects the depth of Arab scientific partnerships in advanced technological fields. He mentioned that the training program focuses on international sanitary and phytosanitary standards and their connection to global trade.

Maghraby added that the goal is to unify Arab approaches to agricultural quarantine protocols and train specialists on the use of nuclear technologies to eliminate quarantine pests that hinder trade movement while protecting the local environments of importing and exporting countries alike. The course is scheduled to conclude with a broad discussion session to formulate technical recommendations followed by the distribution of certificates to participants.

The event highlights the role of nuclear technology in supporting sustainable development and Arab food security. It features the participation of nineteen trainees from nine Arab countries, including Egypt, Mauritania, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, Iraq, Sudan, Jordan, and Syria.