Amman, Oct. 2 (Petra) -- A Jordanian delegation, headed by Chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) Khaled Toukan participated in the 66th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), held in the Austrian capital Vienna.

Toukan reaffirmed Jordan's commitment to achieving its national vision of of using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, citing the Kingdom's progress in "developing the Jordanian nuclear program", according to a JAEC statement.

Touching on these achievements, Toukan, addressing the gathering, said they include the Jordan Nuclear Research and Training Reactor, which produces medical radioactive isotopes, and the Jordanian uranium mining project.

The Jordan Uranium Mining Company (JUMCO), a JAEC-owned company, began operating a plant to extract yellowcake from uranium ore, producing about 20Kg of yellow cake from 160 tons of uranium ore, he explained.

Additionally, the International Center for Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) is forging ahead with advanced scientific research, he indicated, adding that 134 research projects were conducted and 57 international scientific papers were published.

He praised the IAEA's choice of Jordan as a specialized training platform, citing a six-month Arabic-language higher university educational course on radiation protection and safety of radioactive sources held in the country.

When meeting with the Jordanian delegation, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized the Agency's support for the Jordanian nuclear program, praising the progress made on various aspects of the program. He also thanked Jordan for agreeing to host the International Conference on Research Reactors, which will be held at the Dead Sea in November 2023.

On the sidelines of the conference, Toukan and the agency's Deputy Director General for Technical Cooperation, Hua Liu, signed an agreement outlining the organizational framework for projects to be implemented during the following years (2023-2027).

//Petra// AJ

02/10/2022 14:29:00