Advanced science and technology are essential for economic development, enabling countries to generate more electricity, produce more food and make modern health care available to their people, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said in his keynote address at the Diplomatic Academy in Lima, Peru.
"Science is fundamental for development, and technological advances are a must if we are to tackle the many challenges that face humankind today," he said.
The IAEA helps Latin American countries to use nuclear science and technology in many areas, including developing new varieties of crops such as quinoa and barley that can thrive at high altitudes, controlling insect infestation that damages fruit and vegetable crops, and supporting the production of radiopharmaceuticals used for cancer treatment.
Projects in Peru include supporting the upgrade of the RP-10 research reactor that produces radiopharmaceuticals, as well as activities related to the environment, mining, industry and farming. These are in line with the priorities set by the Peruvian Government.
More than 50 scientists from Peru have received training at the IAEA Nuclear Applications Laboratories near Vienna, working with other top international scientists in their field and returning home to share the expertise gained with colleagues.
During his two-day visit to the country Mr Amano visited the RASCO Nuclear Centre, the Secondary Laboratory of Dosimetry Calibrations, the National Institute of Child Health in San Borja, the National Agriculture University of La Molina and the National Institute of Cancer.
