ROME, OCTOBER 18 – IAEA Director-General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, had an “excellent” conversation with the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, on the topic of nuclear energy and its potential for Italy, specifically through SMR, microreactors, and nuclear fusion.
“I am grateful for the support of Italy for the work of the IAEA in Ukraine and nuclear non-proliferation,” Grossi said on Twitter.
The state of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant’s security and the issue of nuclear non-proliferation, given the international context, were also at the top of the agenda, a statement from Palazzo Chigi said. “There was also a discussion about the prospects of nuclear fusion, a topic that may be further explored during Italy’s presidency of the G7,” the Prime Minister’s Office announced.
Grossi is in Rome to participate in the inauguration of “Atoms4Food,” the partnership between the IAEA and FAO to support food security launched during the World Food Forum 2023. The goal is to utilize innovative nuclear techniques to enhance agricultural productivity, reduce food losses, improve nutrition, and adapt to the challenges of climate change.
“Hunger and malnutrition are on the rise, posing a threat to humanity,” stated the Directors-General of the two UN Agencies, QU Dongyu and Grossi, explaining that this initiative aims to “provide member states with innovative solutions tailored to their specific needs and circumstances, harnessing the benefits of nuclear techniques along with other advanced technologies.” (@OnuItalia)
