IAEA Director General praises Lebanon's accession to Nuclear Waste Safety Convention

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, congratulated Lebanon on officially joining the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.

In a statement posted on his official X account, Grossi, who serves as the depositary of the convention, welcomed Lebanon's accession and described it as a reflection of the country's commitment to managing nuclear waste safely and responsibly.

Lebanon's accession became official after its Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and international organizations in Vienna, Ambassador Ibrahim Assaf, formally handed over the accession document to Grossi on Wednesday. 

The meeting was attended by Dr. Bilal Nsouli, Director of the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission, and Bashir Azzam, adviser to the Lebanese mission.

The convention will apply in Lebanon primarily to the safe management of radioactive waste from civilian uses, particularly in the medical sector, where radiation-based technologies are in use.