On Wednesday, 31 May 2017, 23 UN-NYG members comprised of staff, consultants and interns visited the Incident and Emergency Center (IEC) of the IAEA. The IEC, under the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, was developed in 2005 and serves as a global focal point for nuclear emergency preparedness and response (EPR) for nuclear and radiological safety or security related incidents and emergencies.
The UN-NYG visitors were warmly welcomed by Mr. Joseph Chaput, an Incident and Emergency Assessment Officer. He provided a brief overview of the IEC’s mandate and major functions, which includes developing EPR-related safety standards, providing appraisal services of Member States’ EPR capabilities, increasing EPR capabilities through training schemes, developing and maintaining the inter-agency EPR framework, and acting as a focal point for emergency response and assistance. Mr. Chaput also presented the IEC’s work in action by describing the roles IEC and the IAEA’s staff played in response to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. UN-NYG members displayed a keen interest in the work of the IEC as shown by the animated Q&A session after Mr. Chaput’s presentation. Visitors were provided an opportunity to explore the IEC after the short talk.
Due to increased interest, a visit to the IEC will be planned every quarter. The next UN-NYG visit to the IEC is expected to be held in October/November 2017. To find out more about the IEC and the latest news, please follow the links above.
Written by,
Amelia Lee Zhi Yi
UNNYG
Mentoring Coordinator
