Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Representatives of Rosatom participated in the international conference titled "Prospects for the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy in the Sustainable Development of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC): International and National Experience."

The event was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and was organized by the Agency for the Development of Nuclear Energy under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan ("Uzatom"). Rosatom was a partner of the conference.

The conference was attended by Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Sama Bilbao y Leon, Head of the World Nuclear Association (WNA). Experts, government officials, and business representatives from Central and South Asia, the Middle East, Russia, and China, as well as delegates from various international organizations, also participated.

The event became a significant platform for discussing the role of nuclear energy in the implementation of the sustainable development agenda. During the conference, Polina Lyon, Director of the Sustainable Development Department at Rosatom, emphasized the special role of nuclear power in addressing climate issues and developing the "green" economy.

"Confirming the 'green' parameters of the nuclear industry and including clean nuclear energy in climate regulation at both the national and international levels is one of the most important tasks today, both for the development of nuclear energy and for effectively achieving carbon neutrality goals set by many countries," she noted.

Conference speakers highlighted the contribution of nuclear energy to stimulating economic growth. In his speech, Attila Hudec from Paks-2 ZAO discussed the opportunities created for small and medium-sized businesses through the implementation of Rosatom's project in Hungary. According to him, participation in open tenders allows Hungarian and other European contractors to actively engage in the process of building nuclear power plants. "The implementation of large infrastructure projects such as nuclear power plant construction not only ensures reliable energy supply for the country but also creates a significant multiplier effect for the entire economy, promoting further growth and development," he added.

Rosatom representatives at the conference also pointed out that nuclear technologies have long expanded beyond the energy sector and are now used in many high-tech industries, including medicine, agriculture, and manufacturing. Rosatom is ready to cooperate with partners in areas that promote scientific development and technological sovereignty. An example of such collaboration is the partnership with the Nuclear Physics Institute of Uzbekistan in ensuring participation in the Consortium based on the MBIR reactor, which will become the world’s most powerful fast-neutron research reactor.

During the conference, Rosatom's exhibition stand was presented, where all participants could familiarize themselves with the integrated offerings of the state corporation and its solutions in the field of small-scale nuclear generation.

It is worth noting that Rosatom provides comprehensive support to its partners, including the creation of necessary personnel potential.

In this regard, it is important to mention that since 2019, the first overseas branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (one of Rosatom's key universities) has been operating in Tashkent, where approximately 300 students are currently enrolled.

On the sidelines of the event in Samarkand, the Tashkent branch of MEPhI held its scientific and technical conference on "Contemporary Problems of Physics, Energy, and Thermodynamics," which was attended by Mikhail Chudakov, Deputy Director General of the IAEA, Vladimir Shevchenko, Rector of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, and other representatives from the academic communities of Uzbekistan, Russia, China, and France.