Vietnam underlines commitment to peaceful nuclear development

The delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh, presented the nation's policy at the 70th Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference held in Austria from Sept. 14-18.

As the premier annual policymaking assembly for the agency, the event convenes member states to review institutional operations and address critical issues surrounding nuclear safety, security, safeguards, and non-proliferation besides technical cooperation and applications in medicine, agriculture, and environmental protection.

Alongside the main proceedings, the 2026 Scientific Forum centered on the "Rays of Hope" initiative, an international effort to widen global access to lifesaving cancer diagnosis and treatment

The Vietnamese delegation to the 70th IAEA General Conference, headed by Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh. Photo from Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS)

Addressing the plenary session, Nguyen Hoang Linh, director general of the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, underscored the country's consistent strategy of advancing peaceful atomic technology to drive sustainable economic progress and bolster energy security.

Vietnam is actively implementing its national strategy for peaceful nuclear development through 2035, he said.

Preparatory work for the Ninh Thuan Province nuclear power plant projects in south-central Vietnam and a Center for Nuclear Science and Technology equipped with an advanced research reactor is moving forward, he said.

"Vietnam insists that all nuclear programs and initiatives must be carried out responsibly and transparently, placing safety, security, and non-proliferation above all else."

VARANS said the delegation's active engagement at the conference demonstrated Vietnam's ongoing dedication to peaceful nuclear applications, international partnerships, and strict compliance with global safety, security, and non-proliferation norms.

Nguyen Hoang Linh, director general of the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, delivers the statement in the IAEA conference. Photo from VARANS

On the sidelines of the conference, Dinh held talks with Karine Herviou, IAEA deputy director general and head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, Najat Mokhtar, IAEA deputy director general and head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, and senior officials from the agency's nuclear energy division.

The talks centered on expanding IAEA technical backing for Vietnam to develop its nuclear power infrastructure, modernize legal and regulatory frameworks, bolster safety and oversight capabilities, cultivate specialized talent, and embrace applied nuclear technologies.

The Vietnamese delegation meets with Karine Herviou, IAEA deputy director general for nuclear safety and security. Photo from VARANS

Dinh and his team also met with Alexander Trembitsky, chairman of Russia's Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service, and Evgeniy Abakumov, deputy director general of state nuclear corporation Rosatom.

The two sides reviewed implementation roadmaps for existing agreements while exploring new joint ventures in areas of Russian expertise, including quantum computing, thermonuclear fusion, and artificial intelligence applications in atomic energy.

Officials from VARANS also held working sessions with specialized IAEA departments on legal affairs, safeguards, and security, and conferred with counterpart regulatory bodies from countries including South Korea and France.

The Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute took part in the annual General Conference of the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology for Asia and the Pacific, holding meetings with international partners.

These sought to accelerate the establishment of the Center for Nuclear Science and Technology and its proposed research reactor in the southern industrial hub of Dong Nai, secure advisory partnerships for the planned Ninh Thuan nuclear power facilities, and strengthen collaborative research and specialized workforce training across the sector.