VIENNA, Austria – HRH Prince Lonkhokhela, Eswatini’s Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, has called for increased global cooperation in advancing nuclear technology during the Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Science, Technology, and Applications at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters. The conference, held from November 26–28, 2024, also reviewed the Technical Cooperation Programme.
The Minister commended the IAEA’s contributions to addressing challenges in African nations, including cancer treatment, water scarcity, pest control, livestock health, and food production. He acknowledged the agency’s ongoing support for Eswatini’s development, particularly through its human resource programs.
Since joining the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Program in 2013, Eswatini has utilized nuclear science and technology in key sectors such as radiation safety, agriculture, health, water resource management, and energy planning. The recently signed Country Programme Framework for 2024–2029 outlines the country’s focus on these areas.
Prince Lonkhokhela highlighted Eswatini’s completion of a project on Isotope Hydrology, which has improved water resource management and informed a short-term electricity generation expansion plan aimed at strengthening energy security.
Eswatini has also expressed interest in participating in the IAEA’s Atoms for Food and Rays of Hope initiatives, with a meeting planned with the Ministry of Agriculture to discuss these opportunities further.
