H.E. MR YUKIYA AMANO, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA) VISITS THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION ON 12 NOVEMBER 2012

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), H.E. Mr Yukiya Amano is scheduled to visit the African Union Commission on 12 November 2012. His visit to the AUC is in support of the agency’s efforts to promote the peaceful use of nuclear techniques in the relevant sectors to reduce poverty and alleviate hunger. Over the years, the AUC has worked in close collaboration with the IAEA in the Agriculture sector and others, a notable example being the establishment of the AU-Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign Office in 2001 which was fully funded by IAEA for four years since inception. To further strengthen this collaboration, the AUC and IAEA have signed an MOU on the implementation of PATTEC. While at AUC, the DG will meet the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture among other high level dignitaries. It is envisaged that at the meeting with Commissioner REA, discussions will focus on the use of nuclear techniques to contribute to food security and poverty reduction. The DG is expected to pledge continued support to the AU-PATTEC as well as the agency’s tsetse and Trypanosomiasis affected countries ad solicit similar support from other international partners. In addition, the DG will hold a press conference where he is expected to elaborate on IAEA’s agenda on the peaceful use of nuclear techniques and how specifically, the PATTEC initiative is benefiting from the Peaceful Use of Nuclear techniques