Tokyo International Conference on African Development: Ministers Highlight IAEA Impact

Thematic event participants heard firsthand how African countries have improved their cancer services since Rays of Hope’s launch in 2022. More than 20 African nations lacked even a single radiotherapy machine, and under its technical cooperation and human health programmes, the IAEA is addressing this gap by expanding access to life-saving radiation medicine services and facilities.

Khumbize Chiponda, Minister of Health of Malawi, expressed her thanks to the IAEA for its help in establishing the first public radiotherapy centre in her country?which opened its doors last month, and encouraged all IAEA member countries, noting the example of Japan, to support and otherwise engage with the Rays of Hope initiative.

Twelve Rays of Hope Anchor Centres have already been established at long-serving IAEA partner institutions, with three such Centres hosted in Algeria, Morocco and South Africa. IAEA-led expert missions to these centres have not only resulted in the development of joint workplans but also identified areas where the IAEA can further boost the capabilities of these knowledge and capacity building hubs. Representing South Africa’s Anchor Centre —?the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) facility at Steve Biko Academic Hospital?— South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Health Joe Phaahla underscored his country’s commitment to enhance cancer care in the region during his event intervention.

“The Steve Biko Academic Hospital has previously collaborated with the IAEA on clinical research, education, training and quality assurance. Now, following our conclusion of an Anchor Centre agreement with the IAEA through its Rays of Hope initiative, we stand ready to support the establishment and upgrade of cancer centres across the continent,” said Phaahla.

In Africa, food security challenges are growing in 2024, with approximately 20 per cent of the African population — 307 million people?— experiencing hunger last year, according to the 2025 edition of the SOFI report which was published in July 2025 in Addis Ababa during the UNFSS+4 event.

The panel discussion on food and agriculture featured representatives of Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Kanya and FAO, who described the benefits of the joint FAO-IAEA Atoms4Food initiative. Launched by the two organizations in 2023 based on the longstanding partnership through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, the Atoms4Food initiative aims to provide solutions tailored to each country’s agrifood system’s needs.?

Atoms4Food assessment missions help countries to map their food security needs and develop a plan to address identified challenges. Under the Atoms4Food initiative, the IAEA, together with FAO, supports countries to use nuclear and isotopic techniques in six key areas: crop variety improvement, soil and water management and crop nutrition, animal production and health, insect pest control, food safety and control and public health nutrition.

“In Burkina Faso, as part of the Atoms4Food initiative, eight high-yield rice varieties were developed and included in the national variety catalogue. As well, the analysis laboratories were reinforced with various materials and equipment, thus enhancing their performance,” explained Amadou Dicko, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Animal Resources and Fisheries,?Burkina Faso. He expressed appreciation to the first country assessment of Atoms4Food in Burkina Faso, which laid the foundation for a successful implementation of integrated projects.