Kazakhstan, Switzerland deepen partnership on nuclear safety and waste management

The Kazakhstani delegation included representatives of the National Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan and the country’s embassy in Switzerland.

As part of the visit, the delegation met with Benoît Revaz, director at the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, to discuss prospects for bilateral cooperation, the exchange of expertise in nuclear energy regulation and measures to ensure nuclear safety.

The discussions focused on improving Kazakhstan’s national nuclear and radiation regulatory framework in line with international standards and Switzerland’s experience.

The delegation also held talks with representatives of NAGRA, a Swiss organization specializing in radioactive waste management, on opportunities for practical cooperation between NAGRA and Kazakhstan’s National Nuclear Center.

Further collaboration will be based on a memorandum of understanding previously signed by the two organizations. A roadmap has been developed under the memorandum to advance cooperation in the safe management of radioactive waste.

The Kazakhstani side emphasized the importance of establishing a modern national radioactive waste management system. Kazakhstan has brought into force a law on radioactive waste management that provides a legal framework for regulating all stages of the process, from waste generation and temporary storage to final disposal.

The agency highlighted that studying Switzerland’s experience and applying international best practices are considered important for implementing Kazakhstan’s national projects in the sector.

The meetings reaffirmed both countries’ interest in expanding professional dialogue and exchanging expertise on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, nuclear safety and radioactive waste management.

Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan would explore new uranium sites as part of nuclear industry development.