Induction Workshop of Newly Appointed National Liaison Officers, National Liaison Assistants and AFRA National Coordinators in the African region.

23 April 2024

Group photo of National Liaison Officers, National Liaison Assistants and AFRA National Coordinators with DIR-TCAF and IAEA staff after the opening session. (Photo: J. O’Brien/IAEA)

Seventeen National Liaison Officers (NLOs), National Liaison Assistants (NLAs) and AFRA National Coordinators (AFRA NCs) from 15 Member States in the African region participated in the IAEA Induction workshop which helped them to better understand their roles, responsibilities, and the tools available to enhance the management of their national TC Programme.

NLOs, NLAs and AFRA NCs represent the interface between Member States and IAEA on issues related to TC related matters. Their duties include leadership, strategic thinking, operational management, supervision, coordination and relationship building with a wide range of stakeholders.

Held in Vienna, from 23 to 26 April 2024, the workshop was organized to guide recently designated NLOs, NLAs and AFRA NCs in the execution of their functions, but also to accommodate an exchange of perspectives, experiences and ideas among the national representatives and their Agency counterparts.

*IAEA Director of the TC Division for Africa, Shaukat Abdulrazak delivers his remarks at the opening session of the event. (Photo: J. O’Brien/IAEA)*

In his opening statement, Shaukat Abdulrazak, IAEA Director of the TC Division for Africa, underlined the need for commitment, leadership, and strong coordination mechanism between the IAEA secretariat and NLOs, NLAs and AFRA NCs to enhance the implementation of the TC. “The IAEA is here to support you as partners and to assure you that you are not alone, as you embark on this new journey”, he added.

The workshop’s schedule included several presentations including among others, the Fundamental Elements of the TC programme; Planning, Design, Implementation and Monitoring of the TC Programme; Contributions, Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization; and IAEA Flagship Initiatives and Cross-Cutting Issues.

The participants explored how to align IAEA TC activities with the global and continental Agendas to enhance and expand the impact of Technical Cooperation Programme in the region.

A wide scope of IAEA experts from different IAEA departments presented and discussed with participants on issues relevant to the roles of the NLOs, NLAs and AFRA NCs in the management of the TC Programme, development of country programme frameworks, as well as contributions, and the implementation of TC human resource development and procurement components. Presentations also included a general presentation on nuclear applications, nuclear energy, legal frameworks and international instruments as well as the work of the Agency in the fight against Cancer. Participants were also presented with IAEA flagship initiatives, in addition to cross-cutting issues including radiation safety, ethics, and raising public awareness on nuclear science and technology.

The participants also visited the Dosimetry Laboratory and the Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory of the IAEA Laboratories in Seibersdorf, which provide scientific laboratories in the context of coordinated research programmes, technical cooperation projects, and other technical/scientific activities.