Enhancing Nuclear Law in Bolivia: IAEA Workshop held in La Paz

Javier Miranda, Head of the Regulatory Section of the Vice-Ministry, informed participants that the country is working towards a new nuclear law and joining the relevant international treaties.

During the workshop, IAEA officials placed a special focus on the key elements of an adequate national legal framework for the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation and on the international legal instruments in the areas of nuclear safety, security, safeguards and civil liability for nuclear damage that are particularly relevant for the national context.

“Participants engaged actively in the discussions and were interested in knowing about all the components of a comprehensive nuclear legal infrastructure,” said Fanny Tonos Paniagua, Legal Officer at the IAEA.

The workshop was organized in the framework of IAEA’s legislative assistance programme, which supports Member States in drafting nuclear legislation and developing national capabilities in nuclear law.

Several participants said that they found the meeting informative.

“The sessions were very useful to raise awareness about the importance of strengthening the legal framework for the regulation of nuclear activities and gave a positive impulse to our next steps in this respect,” said Ronald Berdeja Amatller, Director General of IBTEN, the Bolivian nuclear regulatory body.

Rosalba Terán Colque, Director of Legal Affairs of ABEN, the Bolivian Nuclear Energy Agency, said that “since Bolivia has undertaken the challenge of expanding the peaceful uses of nuclear technology - a historic milestone in our country -, an appropriate framework is needed. The inputs from the workshop are particularly relevant”.