The last activity before the summer break, the “Regional Workshop on Threat Assessment and a Risk Informed Approach for Nuclear and other Radioactive Material out of Regulatory Control” started today in RACVIAC. The “Regional Workshop on Threat Assessment and a Risk Informed Approach for Nuclear and other Radioactive Material out of Regulatory Control” is being organized in cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
IAEA and RACVIAC have started their cooperation back in 2016 as a project of 5 workshops aimed at promoting nuclear security detection architecture principles and concepts. The goal was to raise awareness and provide partner nations with the knowledge and tools to develop, implement, and sustain indigenous national-level detection capabilities. The long-term goal was to create and maintain a secure, active, and constant network of people advocating and propagating the above-mentioned objectives. In 2022 RACVIAC and IAEA will cooperate on a new series of three regional workshops on NSDA, the first of which is this regional workshop on threat assessment and a risk informed approach for nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control (MORC).
MG (ret.) Jeronim Bazo, RACVIAC Director, opened the Workshop by emphasizing: “In view of the recent events in Ukraine and a real threat posed by nuclear incidents, close cooperation between the security, scientific, customs and border security, industry, and national crisis management centres is required and needs to take place at the national, regional and international levels.” He said that involving all voices is crucial for the dialogue and that a comprehensive and multifaceted approach is required.
On behalf of the IAEA, Mr Maxandre Pauron, Associate Nuclear Security Officer, IAEA Division of Nuclear Security, first thanked RACVIAC for organizing this Workshop after which he shared the background of this event and presented the methodology of working on this activity. He also pointed out: “We are very pleased to have among the participants today a wide range of profiles: radiation protection, nuclear safety and security authorities, the military, intelligence agencies, customs, public health agencies, intervention agencies, etc. You should know that each of you is essential and necessary for the nuclear security of your country.”
The Workshop will use a combination of lectures, skill-building exercises, and a capstone project to cover the various elements for conducting a threat assessment and applying a risk-informed approach for the implementation of nuclear security measures for nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control.
