IAEA chief notes Jordan’s commitment to nuclear safety

Jordan has signed all the necessary agreements and protocols to ensure the safety of its peaceful nuclear power programme, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano said on Sunday. In a statement made at a press conference yesterday and carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Amano stressed that the Jordanian government is in constant cooperation with the IAEA and plays an important role in the agency. The IAEA director general, who is on a visit to the Kingdom to promote regional nuclear safety and highlight changes in the industry in the post-Fukushima era, stressed the importance of utilising peaceful nuclear power in the fields of agriculture, industry and health, noting that he will visit the King Hussein Cancer Centre for this purpose. Vice chairman of the IAEA board of governors, Jordanian Ambassador in Vienna Makram Mustafa Qeisi, yesterday briefed Amano on the progress in the Kingdom's nuclear programme. He noted that Jordan has achieved considerable progress in its nuclear programme and is wholly committed to applying all safety measures set by the agency, according to Petra. Noting that the nuclear industry has been negatively affected following the Fukushima nuclear crisis, Qeisi said many countries will continue to use or pursue nuclear power to generate electricity but will increase safety precautions at nuclear plants, Petra reported. In addition, Amano and the visiting delegation were briefed on several issues related to the Kingdom's peaceful nuclear power programme, including its projected benefits, safety measures and cooling system, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khaled Toukan told Petra. The Kingdom’s first nuclear reactor - a 1,000 megawatt Generation III model - is expected to come online by 2019 to reduce the country’s dependency on energy imports, which currently costs Jordan 22 per cent of its gross domestic product. Also yesterday, Jordan Nuclear Regulatory Commission (JNRC) Director General Jamal Sharaf discussed with French Ambassador to Amman Corinne Breuze means to enhance cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, Petra reported. During the meeting, Sharaf presented a briefing on the challenges facing Jordan’s nuclear programme, especially those related to the inadequacy of trained and specialised human resources. The two sides agreed to organise a training course for JNRC personnel funded by the French government, according to Petra.