VIENNA: The International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS), organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), kicked off yesterday under the theme ‘Shaping the Future’.

The conference will continue until 24th May at the IAEA headquarters in the Austrian capital, Vienna.

The conference provides a global platform for ministers, policymakers, and experts to discuss the future of nuclear security worldwide, exchange information, and share best practices.

The conference aims to raise awareness of issues related to maintaining national nuclear security and enhancing systems for nuclear materials and other radioactive materials and associated facilities used for peaceful purposes. It also seeks to strengthen the IAEA’s guidelines in the field of nuclear security and share the experiences of countries in their application, as well as discuss further improvements to the agency’s nuclear security activities to ensure their sustainability.

The conference activities include reviewing nuclear security
experiences and achievements, current approaches and trends, and highlighting areas that may require further attention, including technological dimensions.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement issued by the agency that with the increasing use of nuclear materials and other radioactive substances worldwide, many countries need to enhance their level of nuclear security, as it is just as important as nuclear safety.

He added, “At ‘ICONS 2024,’ as the name of the conference suggests, we are shaping the future, not only for nuclear security but for the world that our children will inherit. This is because nuclear security is not just about preventing nuclear threats; it is an enabling tool for providing clean energy through nuclear science and technology, advanced medicine, and the hope for a better tomorrow.”

He emphasised that nuclear energy programmes require national threat assessments in this field and the fostering of relevant research.

Source: Emirates News Agency