20th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management
Session 2 – Feedback and vision from some Contracting Parties on the Joint Convention.
CUBA: Mrs. Alba Guilen Campos, Director of the National Center for Nuclear Safety
First of all I would like to thank on behalf of my country the invitation made by the organizers to this side event.
A great effort has been done by Contracting Parties over the years to strengthen safety in the management of radioactive waste and spent fuel. Cuba is now the new Contracting Party that incorporates to this objective.
The Cuban State made the decision to deposit its instrument of accession to the Convention, becoming the Contracting Party number 76. The Convention will enter into force for Cuba on October, the 1st.
Cuba joins to the process for participating in the sixth meeting of the Contracting Parties to be held at the end of May next year.
Cuba understands and shares the opinion that the Joint Convention is relevant to all countries. The use of radioactive materials in medical and industrial applications generates radioactive waste, which must be properly managed to ensure the health and protection of people.
For years the Cuban organizations involved in the safe management of radioactive waste have been participating in several actions in order to strengthen safety in this field.
3 IAEA experts visited the country with the aim of promoting the Joint Convention and explaining the benefits of being part of it. Cuban representatives have also participated in several events at regional level with the same purpose. National status in relation to the safe management of radioactive waste has been presented.
The last IAEA expert´s mission with the objective of carrying out a review of the first draft of the national report prepared was received in September 2016.
In the framework of the regional technical cooperation projects, a significant number of specialists have attended workshops and courses on safety and technologies matters on radioactive waste management.
This has allowed the implementation of an adequate infrastructure for the management and control of radioactive waste and disused sealed radioactive sources.
The regulatory authority is leading the working group created to prepare the National Report.
The working group is composed of specialists from:
• the regulatory body
• the waste management facility
• major waste generators
• others political authorities
Benefits of being a Contracting Party
The process of preparing a national report provides the opportunity to analyze carefully the national situation.
The implementation at national level of the safety related articles of the Convention makes possible to achieve and maintain a high level of safety.
Undergoing periodic reviews at the international level increases the credibility of the actions and the efforts made by the country to protect people.
The associated exchange of national experiences promotes a learning process:
• by knowing the approaches and solutions given by other countries to similar situations that we could have in the country.
• by knowing approaches that were not appropriate and should be avoided.
• by updating on progress in the field of safety at international level, facilitating access to relevant information.
Cuba joins to the Joint Convention with the aim of improving safety and ensuring the protection of people.
Cuba has a great expectation about the next review meeting and expresses its strong commitment to safety of radioactive waste management.
(Embacuba Austria)