Setting the Agenda: Regional Cooperative Agreement Representatives Convene at IAEA General Conference to Review Activities, Establish Priorities

Over 200 national delegates attended four annual regional meetings on the margins of the IAEA's 68th General Conference, organized to coordinate the activities of the AFRA, ARASIA, ARCAL and RCA regional cooperative agreements. The conclusions emerging from these meetings will inform the design of new projects, the development of new initiatives, and the identification of regional priorities for the next year.

The technical cooperation (TC) programme acts as the main mechanism of the IAEA for facilitating the transfer of know-how and equipment to Member States. South-South Cooperation is also a cornerstone of the programme and is best exemplified by the activities channeled through the four regional cooperative agreements: AFRA for IAEA Member States in Africa, ARASIA for Arab States in Asia, ARCAL for Latin America and the Caribbean, and RCA for countries in Asia and the Pacific.

Through a combined portfolio of 150 ongoing regional projects, the States Parties to these four Agreements routinely transfer knowledge, share resources and organize training amongst themselves-with the IAEA acting as an interlocutor and providing expertise where necessary-to expand the contribution made by nuclear technology to regional development.