RCARO introduced a new plan to initiate an environmental project which will be financially supported by UNDP-Korea for three years. The plan was introduced by the Director of RCARO at the IAEA/RCA Thematic Sector Lead Country Coordinators’ (LCCs) Meeting in 1-4 August 2005 at IAEA Headquarters in Vienna.
The estimated budget to be earmarked will be approximately USD 300,000 when the project proposal finally adopted. At the meeting, RCARO requested the Thematic Sector Lead Country Coordinators to provide advice and make suggestions for a most appropriate project to comply with the UNDP-Korea’s requirements. Preliminary suggestion was to carry out a cooperative project on saline agricultural soil analysis using advanced nuclear technologies.

As part of RCARO’s activities to promote RCA partnerships, RCARO approached UNDP-Korea from early this year and the UNDP-Korea initially agreed to financially support a joint project with RCA. The preliminary discussion with UNDP-Korea was to initiate a post-Tsunami recovery project using distinctive nuclear technologies. The IAEA/RCA Thematic Sector Lead Country Coordinators’ Meeting recommended that they should liaise with RCARO in developing a proper project in due time.

The IAEA/RCA Thematic Sectors are agriculture, human health, industry, environment, radiation protection, energy planning, and research reactor utilization. RCA Member States appointed a Member State to each Thematic Sector to take lead in project planning, formulation and implementation. Each Lead Country therefore, designated an expert as Thematic Sector Lead Country Coordinator (TSLCC) responsible for undertaking such roles.

This year’s IAEA/RCA TSLCCs Meeting was opened by the current RCA Chair, Dr Narhul of Malaysia, with the participation of all TSLCCs and representatives from RCARO. Dr Manase Peter Salema, Director, Division of Africa, East Asia and the Pacific of IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Department, congratulated the meeting and wished the Lead Country Coordinators to review the 2007-08 IAEA/RCA projects in a prudent manner.

During the meeting, Mr Kun-Mo Choi, Director of RCARO introduced the UNDP-Korea environmental project while presenting the future strategies of RCARO. The TSLCCs and other representatives from RCA Member States expressed appreciation for RCARO’s efforts to promote partnerships and to pro-actively attract donors for RCA