Viet Nam's Safeguards Implementation: Cooperation with International Partners and the IAEA

Viet Nam's nuclear fuel cycle consists of a research reactor and nuclear research institutes that produce radioisotopes for cancer treatment, perform scientific research, and support other medical and industrial applications for nuclear technology. In 2003, the Viet Nam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS) was established as the regulatory body to regulate all nuclear and radiological activities in Viet Nam. Viet Nam entered into its Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1989, and safeguards implementation commenced in the country in February 1990. In 2007, Vietnam signed the Additional Protocol (AP), and brought it into force in September 2012. The State System of Accounting for and Control of nuclear material (SSAC) is the basis for safeguards implementation in Viet Nam. However, with the AP in force, the role of safeguards is no longer only to verify the declared nuclear materials but also to confirm that there are no undeclared activities related to the nuclear fuel cycle in the State. Only a strong SSAC with enhanced capabilities and activities can meet this demand. Therefore, cooperation at all levels is important. Apart from the State's efforts in developing and sustaining an SSAC, cooperation with international partners, especially the IAEA, is important for effective implementation of safeguards. It is the basis and foundation for ensuring effective accountancy and control of nuclear material for peaceful use. Furthermore, safeguards nowadays requires a partnership approach that not only optimizes the use of existing resources (e.g., inspectors working together, the joint use of safeguards techniques and equipment), but more importantly establishes an environment of confidence, which in turn can contribute to the effectiveness of safeguards implementation for both the State and the IAEA. The aim of this paper is to describe the evolution of safeguards implementation in Viet Nam in relation to cooperation with international partners and the IAEA. It will provide Viet Nam's experience in how to utilize and avoid duplication through international cooperation, to be an effective SSAC; as it is today. (author)