The various heads and representatives of nuclear regulatory bodies in Southeast Asia performing the iconic ASEAN handshake during the opening of the 4th Annual Meeting of the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) on December 7 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria in Quezon City.
From left: Mr. Mohd Pauzi Mohd Sobari of Malaysia, Mr. Van Vinh Tran of Vietnam, Ms. Siriratana Biramontri of Thailand, Mr. Phonesavanh Lathdavong of Lao PDR, Mr. Khin Maung Latt of Myanmar, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Division of Nuclear Security Director Mr. Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan, Mr. Carlo Arcilla of the Philippines, Mr. Kim Hock Koh of Singapore, Mr. Sodavath Chan of Cambodia and Mr. Ishak Hasanuddin of Indonesia.
The Philippines Successfully Hosts 4th ASEANTOM Annual Meeting
Representatives from the various nuclear regulatory bodies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in the Philippines as it hosted the 4th Annual ASEANTOM Meeting and Technical Session on Nuclear Security on December 7 to 8, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria in Quezon City.
The ASEANTOM, or ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy, was established in 2013 to strengthen nuclear safety, security, and safeguards by enhancing cooperation and complementing the work among the ASEAN countries with the existing mechanisms at the national, regional, and international levels.
The countries participating in the ASEANTOM are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Aside from the annual meeting, the event also included technical sessions that will discuss on matters such as the current status of nuclear security in each ASEAN country, the role of various networks such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network (GNSSN) and Asian Nuclear Safety Network (ANSN), the strengthening of partnerships with other countries such as the USA, European Union, Canada, Australia, China, Japan and Korea, and future IAEA-supported projects on the security of radioactive sources throughout the ASEAN region.
The meeting was also sponsored in part by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD).
After the two-day event, the visiting representatives from ASEAN countries visited the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant on December 9.
The PNRI serves as the Philippines’ regulatory body for nuclear and radioactive materials.