Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman expressed its appreciation for the efforts made by the Secretariat of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), affirming its continued joint cooperation with the Agency and member states to achieve strategic objectives and enhance its pivotal role in utilizing nuclear technology for peace and contemporary development. This came in the Sultanate of Oman's statement before the 70th Session of the General Conference of the IAEA, held in the Austrian capital, Vienna. The statement was delivered by Faiza Saif Al Siyabi, Charge d'Affairs of the Permanent Mission of the Sultanate of Oman to the IAEA.
According to Oman News Agency, the Sultanate of Oman welcomed the admission of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to IAEA membership. The statement highlighted the Sultanate of Oman's interest in actively participating in the 'Atoms for Food' initiatives, the Global Network of Isotopes in Hydrology Laboratories, and the 'Atoms for Heritage' initiative for artifact preservation, alongside requesting participation in the upcoming 2027/2028 cycle of the Comprehensive Capacity-Building Initiative for State Systems of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material.
It affirmed that the Sultanate of Oman is proceeding with cooperation to implement Technical Cooperation Program projects for the upcoming 2028-2029 period, focusing on food safety, crop pest control, and the 'One Health' approach, as well as continuing participation in the regional project for nuclear science and technology education in the school system, and in the initiatives of the International Nuclear Science Olympiad and the International Academy of Science and Technology.
During the statement, it was announced that the Sultanate of Oman will host in Muscat the regional training course for Arab states in West Asia on 'Cyclotron Production of Radionuclides' next November, and the GCC regional training course on 'Genomics and Bioinformatics of Disease Vectors' in January 2027, to build capacity and train joint technical personnel.
The statement revealed that the Sultan Qaboos Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Centre, affiliated with the University Medical City, is seeking to become one of the Agency's key anchor centers in the fields of radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, highlighting the Centre's maintenance of Joint Commission International accreditation for patient safety in June 2026.
The statement touched upon the IAEA Quality Assurance Team for Radiation Oncology expert team praising the quality of the Centre's operations and its growing activities last February, announcing that another team will soon evaluate the quality of services in the Radiotherapy Department at The Royal Hospital to develop and modernize cancer diagnosis and treatment facilities.
The Sultanate of Oman renewed its firm stance toward the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as the cornerstone of the global disarmament regime, calling for commitment to the full implementation of the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East, and welcoming the sovereign decision taken by the Syrian Arab Republic to act with full transparency regarding the agreements to which it has adhered.
The Sultanate of Oman affirmed that-through its presidency of the proceedings of the 7th Session of the UN Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction-it will continue working according to a step-by-step, practical approach based on dialogue and consensus involving all parties, contributing to supporting the path of development and prosperity for the peoples of the region and the world.