ALGIERS, 28 October 2025 (APS) - A colloquium themed "Non-Electric Applications of Nuclear Energy" was held on Tuesday in Algiers, co-hosted by the Algerian Atomic Energy Commission (COMENA) and the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), according to a communiqué from the Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energy.
The opening ceremony of the two-day colloquium was chaired by the Minister of Energy and Renewable Energy, Mourad Adjal, who emphasized that the meeting comes at a critical juncture, as the Algerian government is prioritizing both cancer treatment and nuclear medicine in accordance with the directive of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to channel nuclear-energy investments into medical applications, notably radiotherapy for cancer patients and other cases requiring this technology.
Recalling "the deep bilateral and historical relations between Algeria and the Russian Federation," Adjal outlined a broad spectrum of nuclear energy applications, notably in the fields of energy, agriculture, industry, and water resources, including seawater desalination and drought mitigation.
He mentioned the government’s program for the use of nuclear energy in the development of locally produced radiopharmaceuticals, aimed at meeting growing national demand, safeguarding the supply chain, and ensuring permanent availability.
He further stated that this initiative will reduce reliance on imported radiopharmaceuticals, improve patient care, and shorten treatment waiting times.
The minister emphasized the importance of this meeting for exchanging expertise and drawing upon Russia’s extensive experience through Rosatom in nuclear medicine and the production of radioactive isotopes, in order to bolster training capacities and technology transfer in other fields such as the development of small modular reactors and their use in electricity production and water desalination.
He also stressed the need to strengthen cooperation in order to establish effective and concrete mechanisms to reap the benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and its technologies, which offer relevant solutions to challenges in several vital areas, notably medicine, energy, agriculture, and water resources, over the coming decades.
Held at the Ministry’s headquarters, the colloquium was attended by the Commissioner for Atomic Energy, the President of the National Health Security Agency (ANSS), the President of the National Committee for Cancer Prevention and Control (CNPLCC), and the President of the National Nuclear Safety and Security Authority (ANSSN), along with many experts from Rosatom and senior ministry officials.
