Capacity building initiatives and activities aimed at enhancing nuclear safety and security around the world were discussed at the recent Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network (GNSSN) Steering Committee Meeting, held at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
Lingquan Guo, Head of the IAEA Networks Management and Partnership Section, emphasized in his opening remarks that countries need to share good practices, promote knowledge networks and provide support in building capacities and competencies at all levels to further strengthen nuclear safety and security worldwide.
During the meeting 27 participants from IAEA member countries and international organizations exchanged views and their experiences, discussing progress achieved according to the GNSSN action plan. This included updates on the annual report, terms of reference and IT platform.
The challenges of licensing a novel technology, required for small modular reactors, and the importance of ensuring sufficient and sustainable human resources for the life cycle of operating plants, were among the subjects discussed. Participants focused on the IAEA legislative assistance programme, paying particular attention to the importance of joining and adhering to relevant international legal instruments. Capacity building efforts to raise awareness about nuclear law, and the importance of sharing regulatory experiences, aimed at improving the effectiveness of nuclear and radiation regulatory systems, were also discussed.
Participants were also updated on the GNSSN survey conducted last year to identify areas of focus and future interests related to regional networks. The survey aimed to foster further cooperation and coordination among the regional and thematic networks under the GNSSN framework. According to the survey, the top three focused topic areas from 2022-2025 are: drafting of regulatory documents, environmental monitoring, and radioactive waste management.
Alfredo de los Reyes Castelo, Head of International Relations at the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council and Chair of the GNSSN’s Steering Committee, outlined the most recent achievements of the GNSSN networks: “Since the last GNSSN Steering Committee meeting in July 2022, progress has been made in identifying potential synergies in regional and thematic networks, to enhance inter-regional cooperation on the topic of nuclear safety and security, building further cooperation through joint technical projects, sharing best practices and lessons learned, as well as translating technical publications to reach a wider audience among the associated networks of GNSSN."
