Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belgium Margulan Baimukhan and Chairman of the Board of JSC NC Kazatomprom Meirzhan Yussupov took part in the first Nuclear Energy Summit, which was organized by the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium jointly with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), El.kz cites MFA.
The Summit was attended by the Presidents of the European Council Charles Michel and the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, heads of 22 states and governments, ministers, heads of international organizations and more than 300 representatives of transnational companies, diplomatic missions, as well as experts.
The event was co-chaired by Prime Minister of Belgium Alexandre De Croo and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. The main goal of the Summit was to discuss and highlight the role of nuclear energy in solving global problems of climate change, increasing energy security and stimulating economic development.
The Summit is being held against the backdrop of the increasing importance of nuclear energy, along with other low-carbon energy sources, following the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai in December 2023.
Opening the event, Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre De Croo noted the importance of nuclear energy in ensuring energy security, and IAEA Director General Raphael Mariano Grossi said that this summit should be a turning point for nuclear energy, which requires global investment.
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, stressed the need to create a “genuine Energy Union”, emphasizing that nuclear energy can play a key role in this matter.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, noting that nuclear energy remains the main source of electricity production in the EU with a share of 22%, emphasized the importance of ensuring new investments in the industry.
As part of the Summit, a delegation from Kazakhstan, which included the CEO of NAC Kazatomprom JSC Meirzhan Yussupov, took part in a round table on the topic of “Securing the fuel supply chain.”
Kazakhstan is the world leader in the production of natural uranium (2022 – 43%), and is in second place in uranium reserves (2021 – 13%). At the same time, Kazakhstan is also the main supplier of natural uranium to the European market (share – about 27%).