Lao PDR and IAEA Partner to Expand Peaceful Nuclear Technology for Development

A Country Programme Framework serves as a strategic planning document that defines priority areas for technical cooperation between the IAEA and a member state over a multi-year period.

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed a new Country Programme Framework (CPF) for 2026–2033, outlining key areas of cooperation aimed at supporting national development through the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

The agreement was signed on 13 March 2026 in Vienna by H.E. Khampheng Douangthongla, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Lao PDR to the United Nations in Vienna, and Hua Liu, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Technical Cooperation.

Guiding Nuclear Technology Cooperation

A Country Programme Framework serves as a strategic planning document that defines priority areas for technical cooperation between the IAEA and a member state over a multi-year period.

The framework helps ensure that IAEA expertise, training and nuclear technologies are aligned with national development priorities, supporting sustainable economic and social progress.

Lao PDR has been a member of the IAEA since 2011, and the new framework strengthens collaboration over the next seven years.

Six Priority Development Areas

Under the 2026–2033 CPF, cooperation will focus on six key sectors where nuclear science and technology can contribute to development:

• Radiation safety – strengthening regulatory systems and safety standards• Food and agriculture – improving crop productivity, pest control and food security• Health and nutrition – enhancing medical diagnostics, cancer treatment and nutrition monitoring• Water and environment – supporting water resource management and environmental protection• Energy and industry – promoting industrial applications of nuclear technologies• Nuclear knowledge development and management – building national capacity and scientific expertise

Supporting Sustainable Development

Through these priority areas, the CPF aims to strengthen scientific capacity, technology transfer and institutional development in Lao PDR.

IAEA technical cooperation projects can support areas such as improving agricultural productivity through nuclear techniques, enhancing healthcare diagnostics, monitoring environmental resources and ensuring radiation safety standards.

The framework also emphasizes capacity building and knowledge management, helping develop the skilled workforce needed to safely implement nuclear technologies.

Strengthening International Cooperation

The agreement reflects the IAEA’s broader mission to support peaceful nuclear applications that advance sustainable development, particularly in developing countries.

By aligning nuclear science with national priorities, the new cooperation framework will help Lao PDR harness nuclear technology to address health, environmental, agricultural and industrial challenges while strengthening technical expertise across the country.