Belarus presents national report on Nuclear Safety Convention implementation at IAEA

MINSK, 17 April (BelTA) – Belarus has presented its national report on the implementation of the Convention on Nuclear Safety at the IAEA, BelTA learned from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor).

“The Belarusian delegation continued its work in Vienna on the sidelines of the 10th Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety. The head of the delegation delivered a report on the country’s implementation of the provisions of the Convention on Nuclear Safety. Representatives of other countries were informed about the measures carried out in Belarus since the submission of the previous national report in 2023, including information on addressing the challenges and recommendations identified for Belarus. During the discussion of the report, the delegation received questions and provided comprehensive answers. The questions concerned safety at the Belarusian NPP site, emergency preparedness and response, personnel training, safety culture, and other areas,” Gosatomnadzor said.

The meeting included a discussion of the challenges and recommendations formulated for the country to improve its implementation of the Convention’s provisions. Good practices and areas of Belarus’ successful work under the Convention were also reviewed.

The delegation noted that Belarus, at the national level, takes all necessary measures to ensure that the fundamental principles of nuclear safety are upheld at all stages of the Belarusian NPP’s life cycle.

Gosatomnadzor emphasized that fulfilling the provisions of the Convention on Nuclear Safety and adhering to the principles of the Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety are unconditional priorities for Belarus in implementing its nuclear energy program.

The Convention on Nuclear Safety entered into force in 1996 and aims to oblige contracting parties operating land-based civil nuclear power plants to maintain a high level of safety by establishing fundamental safety principles. Belarus ratified the Convention in 1998. Under the Convention, participating countries prepare national reports on the implementation of their obligations once every three years, review other countries’ national reports remotely and submit questions, prepare responses to questions received about their own reports, take part in review meetings at the IAEA headquarters, and organize the implementation of recommendations received during these meetings.