The Minister of Federal Planning, Public Investment and Services, Architect Julio De Vido, together with INVAP’s General Manager & CEO, Lic. Héctor Otheguy, welcomed a delegation belonging to the Consultative Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SHURA). The aim of the meeting was to strengthen the bilateral cooperation as regards nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
With respect to this, Otheguy highlighted the successful cooperation during the last years between both countries and their progress, particularly the new joint company created by the state-owned companies, Saudi Tacqnia and INVAP S.E., in the context of the Cooperation Agreement on using Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes signed between these countries when the Minister De Vido visited the Asian nation in 2011. A year later, the Argentine National Congress ratified the agreement.
The main objective of the company called INVANIA is to develop technology, especially nuclear technology, for the important nuclear plan carried out by Saudi Arabia, on the basis of the experience and capabilities recovered by Argentina, which already has three working power plants that provide 10 percent of the energy demand. A fourth plant of heavy water and natural uranium and another one of light water and slightly enriched uranium are being planned, and the first power reactor completely developed in Argentina (CAREM) is being built.
Likewise, nuclear medicine is highly developed in our country, which is one of the main world exporters of molybdenum 99 and has an experimental plant of enriched uranium in Pilcaniyeu.
Consequently, both countries agreed to continue with the effective cooperation and pointed out the importance of strengthening the training courses, essentially those in which the participation of Saudi students is involved as the ones run in Balseiro Institute, since their outcome have been quite satisfactory.
The President of the Delegation, Engineer Mohamed H. A. Alnagadi, Dr. Awad Khozam A. Al Asmari, Dr. Ahmed S. A. Al Mofareh, Dr.Mansour Saad F. Alkraidees, Dr. Ferdous Soud M. Alsaleh, and Dr.Sadaka Yahia H. Fadil were present on behalf of Saudi Arabia, as well as the Ambassador in Argentina Mr. Turki Al Madi.
On behalf of Argentina, the Minister De Vido was accompanied by the Under Secretary of Coordination and Management Control, Lic. Roberto Baratta, INVAP’s General Manager Lic. Héctor Otheguy, the Vice-President of the National Commission of Atomic Energy (CNEA, in Spanish), Engineer Mauricio Bisauta and the Director of International Security and Especial and Nuclear Affairs of the Chancellor’s office, Ambassador Gustavo Ainchil.
Source
Ministry of Federal Planning, Public Investment and Services
