Philippines and Argentina Hold Landmark Bilateral Meeting on Nuclear Cooperation 

Participants of the first bilateral meeting on nuclear energy cooperation held on 20 May 2021 (Photo from Buenos Aires PE)

BUENOS AIRES, 24 May 2021 - The Philippines and Argentina held their first bilateral meeting on nuclear energy cooperation on 20 May 2021 via video conference, where  agencies under the Philippines' Department of Science and Technology, such as the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and officials of Argentina's INVAP S.E., one of the world's leading aerospace and nuclear energy companies, discussed potential areas of cooperation, such as nuclear energy, food and agriculture, technical assistance, and capacity-building.

PNRI Director Dr. Carlo Arcilla hailed INVAP's expertise in developing small modular reactors, which could benefit the Philippines as a source of power for far-flung communities given its archipelagic character. INVAP has developed various nuclear facilities throughout the world, including Australia, Egypt, and the Netherlands, at a relatively affordable price. INVAP also has programs for nuclear technology for use in space, defense, security and environment, and nuclear medicine.

In a meeting with ASEAN Ambassadors held on 18 March 2021, Argentine Foreign Minister Felipe Carlos Sola underscored the importance of pursuing relations with ASEAN in science and high technology.

In her opening statement, Ambassador Linglingay Lacanlale noted that it was the first time that cooperation in nuclear science was included in the bilateral consultations mechanism (BCM) between the Philippines and Argentina. She added that this signals nuclear science’s increasing importance to countries in Southeast Asia. The 4th BCM was held on 17 May 2021.

Says Dr. Arcilla: "Argentina is the best example we have that a country with a nuclear program can be fully committed to peace." END

For more information, visit http://www.buenosairespe.dfa.gov.ph/ and https://www.facebook.com/PHinArgentina/