Belarus eager to sign memorandum on peaceful uses of nuclear technologies with Russia

MINSK, 28 December (BelTA) – Belarus intends to sign a memorandum with Russia on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear technologies at the beginning of 2024, Deputy Chairwoman of the State Committee on Science and Technology of Belarus Tatiana Stolyarova told reporters in BelTA's press center.

In her words, a roadmap has been prepared on advancing promising avenues of cooperation with Russia in nuclear non-energy technologies and non-nuclear technologies. It has been approved at the government level and contains a number of projects and measures focusing on additive technologies, nuclear medicine, waste recycling, introduction of import-substituting software, and other matters. Tatiana Stolyarova underlined that Belarus has sufficient competences for realizing the agreements on interaction in these fields.

The official said: “The State Committee on Science and Technology and the Russian state corporation Rosatom have put together a draft memorandum between the governments of Belarus and Russia on stepping up strategic cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. This document has already passed intrastate reconciliation procedures. This memorandum is supposed to be signed in early 2024.”

The memorandum provides for expanding cooperation in non-energy applications of nuclear technologies, nuclear medicine and production of medical equipment, digitization, modernization of industrial enterprises, waste recycling, production of ionizing radiation detectors, and other areas.

Plans are also in place to pass an interagency comprehensive program on Belarus-Russia cooperation in nuclear non-energy applications and non-nuclear projects. The draft program is going through reconciliation procedures and provides for developing new programs and projects of the Union State of Belarus and Russia.

Plans have been made to develop a Union State R&D project in the field of nuclear medicine. The project will focus on radiopharmaceutical agents. A joint proposal is being worked out concerning the Union State program on digital development. As a result of the program the parties intend to create a common software product (smart region, smart city, digitization of property management processes, territorial administration, management of urban transport). It also envisages the possible joint production of ionizing radiation detectors and their components.

Apart from that, the possibility of reequipping cancer treatment centers in Belarus and enterprises is under consideration as well as the construction of a tomography center with a cyclotron, the use of components of Belarusian make to make gamma therapy equipment. Plans also include setting up a center for additive technologies in Belarus together with Rosatom.

Speaking about joint non-nuclear projects, the official mentioned that they are considering designing and producing energy accumulation systems, developing traction batteries for electric vehicles, participation of Belarusian enterprises in the Russian project meant to create the electric car Atom.