Agreements with Burkina Faso, Nicaragua and Kazakhstan at Atomexpo
26 March 2024
Russia's Rosatom has signed agreements relating to developing nuclear medicine centres in Nicaragua and Kazakhstan, and also a memorandum of understanding with Burkina Faso which includes potential nuclear energy projects.
Atomexpo was first held in 2009 (Image: Rosatom)
The agreements were signed at the Atomexpo 2024 international forum, which is currently taking place in Sochi.
Rosatom Director General Alexei Likhachev and Burkina Faso's Energy Minister Yacouba Zabre Guba signed a roadmap which "outlines concrete steps for both sides to build the West African country's peaceful nuclear workforce, develop nuclear infrastructure and create a positive public opinion regarding nuclear energy in Burkina Faso. Based on the results of the formation of an international legal framework for cooperation, the parties intend to work on the issue of implementing nuclear generation projects and non-energy applications of radiation technologies in agriculture and medicine in Burkina Faso".
The roadmap signed by Rosatom Health Technologies Director General Igor Obrubov and Nicaragua's Health Minister Oscar Vazquez, covered a joint project to build a nuclear medicine centre, specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, in particular those with cancer, and also covers cooperation in health worker training.
Vazquez said: "Rosatom’s competence in creating specialised medical infrastructure facilities gives every reason to be confident in the effective implementation of our joint project ... (and) will allow us to reach a qualitatively new level in the diagnosis and treatment of socially significant diseases and expand access to modern nuclear medicine technologies for doctors and patients in Nicaragua."
Obrubov said Rosatom's activities "include the production of isotopes and the production of radiopharmaceuticals, the development and production of high-tech medical equipment, and the construction of medical infrastructure facilities. We are pleased to assist citizens of the Republic of Nicaragua".
Obrubov also signed a memorandum of understanding alongside Zhanar Ospanova, Health Minister of the Zhambyl region of Kazakhstan to implement joint projects relating to the development of nuclear medicine.
Ospanova said: "Given that Rosatom has significant experience and competencies in implementing projects in the field of nuclear medicine, I am confident that our joint work will make significant progress in the diagnosis and treatment of socially significant diseases, in particular oncology. This interaction has the most important goal - to expand access for doctors and patients to the most modern technologies to preserve and improve health."
This year's Atomexpo is the 13th staging of the business and exhibition event, which is supported by Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News