On Tuesday 15 September 2009, the Kazakhstan Country Programme Framework (CPF) for 2010-2015 was signed by the Kazakhstan Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Aset Magauov and IAEA DDG-TC Ms Ana María Cetto.
The Kazakhstan CPF follows the initial CPF for 2004-2009.
The new Kazakhstan CPF defines six areas for technical cooperation between the Government and the IAEA in the near and midterm, namely:
- Introduction of nuclear power (including operational and regulatory issues);
- Health (nuclear medicine, radiotherapy, QA/QC, personal dosimetry);
- Environment (using the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, radon monitoring, etc.);
- Safety and utilization of research reactors;
- Agriculture; and
- Nuclear applications (mainly isotope production).
The new areas are introduction of nuclear power and a more focused attention to the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and its return to economic uses. The document outlines government priorities and intentions placing Kazakhstan not only as a recipient but also a contributor to the TC Programme and a regional leader.
The CPF is linked to the new Kazakhstan UNDAF for 2010-2015 signed on April 2009, which reflects the following IAEA areas of contribution: wheat and maize breeding, improved management of cancer and cardiological conditions through early diagnosis with nuclear medicine imaging, and environmental monitoring.