Vietnam attends 69th session of IAEA General Conference

The delegation also included Ambassador Le Vu Thai Hoang, Ambassador of Vietnam to Austria, and head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the IAEA and international organisations, as well as representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria, and leaders and officials from units under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST).

The session was held at the Vienna International Centre (VIC) with the participation of over 2,000 senior officials and representatives from 179 IAEA member states. The event aimed to share and exchange information related to the development of science and technology, the promotion of nuclear applications, nuclear safety and security, and enhancing the effectiveness of nuclear inspections.

At the opening ceremony on September 15, IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi emphasised that this session was taking place at a highly challenging time. Terrorist actions, numerous military conflicts, and the erosion of nuclear norms are rising amid a growing gap between poverty and prosperity. The IAEA is on a mission to reduce the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation while promoting nuclear science to address issues of poverty, energy, and healthcare.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Le Vu Thai Hoang praised the IAEA's efforts and achievements in promoting nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The ambassador announced that in November 2024, the National Assembly of Vietnam approved the continuation of the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project. This is a landmark decision with profound national significance, aimed at ensuring long-term energy security, promoting the development of high-level human resources, and enhancing the country's scientific and technological capabilities.

The ambassador declared Vietnam's commitment to applying nuclear technology for sustainable development and addressing global challenges through IAEA initiatives such as the ZODIAC project (controlling zoonotic diseases), NUTEC Plastic (monitoring and reducing ocean microplastics), Atoms4Food (enhancing food production and safety), and Rays of Hope (cancer control and reduction).

The IAEA's support for Vietnam in nuclear security is highly significant through the implementation of the Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plan (INSSP) for the 2024-2027 period. This includes support for Vietnam in ensuring nuclear security at major public events such as the recent 80th National Day of Vietnam (September 2).

Vietnam appreciated the IAEA's support through technical cooperation projects to promote the safe reactor development programme and looks forward to closer cooperation with the IAEA in consulting, developing human resources, and other areas to ensure the success of the project.

As part of the event, Deputy Minister Le Xuan Dinh met with Karine Herviou, IAEA deputy director general and head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security. He expressed gratitude to the IAEA in general and to Herviou for their active support to Vietnam in enhancing the nation's technical capacity to promote the safe and secure application of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Through the Country Programme Framework (CPF), the IAEA has actively supported Vietnam through technical cooperation projects for the construction of a new research reactor and the promotion of nuclear energy applications in healthcare, agriculture, industry, environmental protection, water resource management, climate change response, and ensuring safety and security.

Deputy Minister Le Xuan Dinh emphasised that Vietnam is currently gearing up preparations for the nuclear power project, including completing the legal framework, developing human resource development plans, and communications.

In this process, Vietnam is eager for the IAEA's support in enhancing the capacity of the national radiation and nuclear safety authority in assessing nuclear safety throughout the entire lifecycle of the nuclear power plant.

He also noted that the MST is actively implementing the Nuclear Science and Technology located Research Centre, with a 10MW research reactor in Dong Nai province. This is an important project expected to boost the development of the nuclear energy sector and radiation applications in Vietnam for many years to come.

Vietnam hopes for the IAEA's cooperation in supporting the assessment of the basic design of the reactor and safety analysis reports related to the site and consideration study of the project. Additionally, small modular reactor (SMR) technology has been identified by Vietnam as a national strategic technology. Vietnam proposed the IAEA to share and support Vietnam in building legal and regulatory frameworks to manage the safety and security of this very new SMR technology.

Herviou said that the IAEA is ready to support Vietnam in developing and applying nuclear energy, ensuring safety and security, especially for the key tasks that Vietnam is implementing. She also assigned relevant IAEA units to work directly with Vietnam to implement the planned tasks.

On September 16, Deputy Minister Le Xuan Dinh testified the signing of an MoU between the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) and the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS).

At the signing ceremony, Nguyen Hoang Linh, director general of VARANS, stated that this MoU reflects the shared commitment of both parties to enhance nuclear security, build capacity, and promote international cooperation in this field. In recent years, VARANS staff and several related Vietnamese agencies have participated in nuclear security capacity-building activities organized by WINS for Southeast Asian countries.

In the future, VARANS hopes to continue collaborating with and receiving support from WINS to enhance the safety and security of nuclear and radioactive materials in Vietnam.

Lars van Dassen, executive director of WINS, expressed his readiness to cooperate with VARANS in organising activities within the framework of the MoU, contributing to strengthening regional and global nuclear security.

During the working session, the Vietnamese delegation also participated in other activities and meetings, including an event organised by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

VARANS and the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VINATOM) also organised bilateral and multilateral meetings to enhance connections and exchange cooperation directions.

Minister Counselor Le Thi Minh Thoa, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), has emphasized the need to support all the three pillars of the nuclear issue, namely disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The government has directed the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to study nuclear energy practices from other countries to propose its development in Vietnam.