The Director General of the IAEA Rafael Mariano Grossi has been in Peru for high level meetings to enhance support for the country through the peaceful uses of nuclear technology in food security, health and the environment. During the visit, Peru’s Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mr Grossi to increase food security under the IAEA’s Atoms4Food programme.
Fisheries and mining are Peru’s main economic activities and the IAEA plans to step up its support to help Peru benefit even more from nuclear techniques to boost sustainability and development. During his visit, Mr Grossi reiterated the IAEA's support to Peru in tackling microplastic pollution in its coastal waters under the IAEA’s NUTEC Plastics initiative, and signed a declaration with the Minister of Energy and Mines, Mr Rómulo Mucho Mamani, to protect the environment through more sustainable mining and lithium exploration.
Mr Grossi was awarded an Order of Merit for Distinguished Service by Peru’s government, and said it was an “honour” to receive this decoration.
“As the first Latin American Director General of the IAEA, this honour highlights Peru’s commitment to peace, multilateralism and atoms for development,” he said.