Russia has signed an intergovernmental agreement with the central American nation of Nicaragua on cooperation in projects involving the non-energy applications of nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes, the Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom said in a statement earlier this month.
The statement said that under the agreement, both countries will work together in a wide range of areas, particularly in medicine and agriculture.
The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Foreign Minister of Nicaragua, Denis Moncada, and Rosatom Director General (DG), Alexey Likhachev.
“The signing of the agreement sets a precedent and allows Nicaragua to develop projects in the field of non-energy applications of nuclear energy, relying on Russia’s unique experience in this field. Russia will assist Nicaragua to create and implement projects on the use of nuclear and radiation technologies in such spheres as agriculture, healthcare and scientific research,” the statement said.
“With more than 40 intergovernmental agreements previously signed with different countries, this document is the first of its kind. Never before have we agreed with partners to focus exclusively on the non-energy use of nuclear technologies,” the Rosatom DG Alexey Likhachev said in a statement.
The projects envisaged under the agreement include a centre for nuclear medicine, a multi-purpose radiation centre and a “subcritical stand”, or a device capable of producing a reaction which is not self-sustaining and does not attain criticality, that can be used for educational and research purposes, he added.
