IAEA/TC: LATIN AMERICA AND CARRIBEAN REGIONAL STRATEGIC

UNCLAS UNVIE VIENNA 000500 SIPDIS STATE FOR ISN/MNSA, ISN/NESS, WHA, IO/T PLEASE PASS USAID; WHA PLS CONSDIER REPEAT TO REGIONAL POSTS NRC FOR JSCHWARTZMAN, MDOANE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC ENRG TRGY XL XM KNNP IAEA SUBJECT: IAEA/TC: LATIN AMERICA AND CARRIBEAN REGIONAL STRATEGIC PROFILE FOR BETTER TC PROJECT PLANNING Ref: A) UNVIE 499 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) In order to solidify its relationship with the IAEA, members of the Regional Cooperative Agreement for the Advancement of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean (ARCAL) agreed to a regional strategic profile (RSP) for 2007-2013 that serves as a basis for the preparation of regional programs to be carried out using nuclear technology under the auspices of the IAEA TC program. During the 2009 IAEA General Conference, ARCAL representatives met with TC Director for Latin America Juan Antonio Casas-Zamora and discussed what needs were still outstanding in five priority areas (food safety/human health/environment/energy/radiation safety). Both sides felt the meeting was valuable and will lead to better project design and more precise requests for future TC projects during the 2012-2013 TC project cycle. ¶2. (U) Also during the GC, Haiti on behalf of LDCs, advocated for a specific mention of LDC needs in the area of peaceful nuclear applications in the annual technical cooperation resolution. This is the first time the G77 agreed to such a reference that highlights a specific category of states, acknowledging the need for more TC projects in some of the world's poorest countries. The USG, working with the IAEA TC Division and ARCAL members (a number of which are LDCs),may want to consider setting aside future assistance specifically for LDCs in Latin America and the Caribbean in the areas of human capacity building and cooperative research projects in agriculture, nuclear energy development, and water resource management. This could be done through an IAEA/TC managed fellowship program for LDCs, US/LDC cooperative research proposals to the IAEA, or specific funding of "footnote a" projects. END SUMMARY -------------- FOOD SAFETY -------------- ¶3. (U) According to a 2008 ARCAL/IAEA report (ref A) on food safety it is estimated that for every dollar generated in the region by agricultural activity, an average of three to six dollars are added to a country's economy. However, as discussed in a September 2009 presentation by ARCAL on the margins of the IAEA GC, the positioning of agricultural activity as a strategic sector for regional development has created problems such as progressive degradation of arable soils owing to intensive use and poor fertilization and irrigation practices, the continual reduction of natural woodland, a loss of biodiversity, and pollution by agrochemicals. The crucial challenge for countries in the region is to pursue sustained food development compatible with higher levels of growth and social welfare, combined with conservation and use of biological diversity without harming natural resources. The IAEA TC Division is working with Latin American and Caribbean countries to achieve improvement in agricultural production through the use of nuclear techniques for genetic improvements of plants and animals, improvements of soil management and efficient use of fertilization and irrigation, suppression and eradication of agricultural pests, and the early diagnosis of animal diseases. In future TC project cycles, ARCAL plans to request regional projects that will focus on the use of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) for both fruit flies and coddling moths, better management of water resources, human capacity building on use of nuclear techniques for food safety, and on better management of livestock species through disease prevention. -------------- Human Health -------------- ¶4. (U) According to the September 2009 presentation, within the area of human health there are four sub-categories of concern for ARCAL members: nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy, radiotherapy, medical physics and radiation protection, and nuclear molecular biology. Nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy, specifically, the use of radioisotope techniques, allows for cost-effective management of pathologies by enabling early diagnosis and timely and appropriate patient therapy. Through TC projects there has been improvement in the efficient and safe implementation of diagnostics and treatment procedures employing radiation sources. However, development and growth have been uneven among the countries in the region, which has had a negative impact on equitable access to this technology for lower income sectors and people who live in the rural areas. ARCAL members and TC officials cite the deficiency in the number of professionals specializing in nuclear medicine and the constant need for training on new techniques as part of the problem. Radiotherapy for cancer is experiencing a similar fate in the region as it faces a shortage of technicians who can safely operate machines and provide quality assurance. While TC is working with some ARCAL members on cancer therapy projects, the IAEA's Program of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT),a non-TC program under the Department of Nuclear Applications, has formed partnerships in Latin America. ARCAL is also considering whether a regional qualification in radiopharmacy and horizontal coordination among universities would help address these shortfalls. ¶5. (U) As is radiopharmacy, there is a shortage of experienced professionals who have specialized in medical physics and radiation protection. According to ARCAL this is reflected in the growing number of incidents of serve exposure to radiation throughout the region. One of the challenges ARCAL members and the IAEA face is that while new equipment/lab environments can be obtained through the TC program, ARCAL member states have not always planned successfully for managing integration of this complex technology into national health programs. ¶6. (U) Nuclear molecular biology, specifically its application against infectious diseases, is another area of deficit. There are many international initiatives (WHO, UN, IAEA) to control the spread of infectious diseases, but natural reservoirs and asymptomatic patients are a significant factor in the spread of infectious agents. Molecular techniques improve detection of such diseases, allowing timely treatment and, in some cases, reduction of transmittal. Through TC projects, Latin American specialists have been able to learn about methods employing nucleic acids leading to quick diagnosis and genotyping techniques for infectious agents, however, the lack of skilled personnel or a regional laboratory network, as well as limited application of molecular isotopic techniques, have hampered the region's ability to respond to outbreaks of disease such as H1N1. -------------- Environment -------------- ¶7. (U) The TC Regional Strategic Plan (RSP) considers the gamut of environmental problems -- atmosphere, water resources, terrestrial, and marine factors -- in its TC program planning. The region covers 15 percent of the planet's surface and has the largest pluvial system in the world (the Amazon and other systems) that carries more than 30 percent of the planet's fresh water to the Atlantic Ocean. The TC Division continues to support requests from ARCAL members for studies on groundwater mapping and coastal acidification. However, continued unregulated extraction of groundwater seriously affects the delicate saltwater/freshwater balance in many areas, causing changes in flow patterns, a drop in water tables, saltwater intrusion, and leaching of pollutants. -------------- Nuclear Energy -------------- ¶8. (U) Primary energy consumption doubled in Latin America and the Caribbean between 1980 and 2005. The primary mode of energy delivery is through hydroelectric plants, with burning of fossil fuels coming second and nuclear in third place. According to the Regional Strategic Profile, seven countries in the region have experimental nuclear reactors of various types and power levels. The purpose of these reactors is to provide neutron sources for research, experimentation, and radioisotope production. In the field of operation, maintenance and radiation protection of experimental power reactors, more regional cooperation is needed to improve standard practices and safety. ARCAL and the TC Division have been and will continue to work in this area. -------------- Nuclear Safety -------------- ¶9. (U) Work within the radiation safety area focuses on efforts to ensure that ARCAL members establish a safety culture for radiation sources, starting with the commitment of governments to manage the regulatory authority. Additionally, the commitment of users of ionizing radiation, in TC recipient countries, must include aspects of radiation safety in all TC project proposals. IAEA TC officials recognize there is need to modernize existing regulatory frameworks in many TC recipient countries and promptly establish them in countries where they still do not exist, in order to ensure protection of individuals and the environment. IAEA TC officials will continue to increase the capacity of ARCAL members to establish or improve education and training programs on safety of radiation sources and transport and safety of radioactive waste over many future TC project cycles. DAVIES