Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris. The high-ranking guests of the event were welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Raphael Grossi. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Prime Ministers of Slovakia, Croatia, and heads of governments and representatives of a number of other countries also took part in the summit.
The joint photo-taking ceremony of the participants of the summit was followed by the opening ceremony of the event.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a speech, in which he specifically stated:
“Excellences,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I express my sincere gratitude to the President of France for inviting and warmly hosting this important event, as well as to the International Atomic Energy Agency for close cooperation.
After the successful first summit in Brussels in 2024, we are confident that this second summit in Paris will promote cooperation among countries that have decided to develop civil nuclear capacity and promote real solutions to advance the common goals of decarbonization and energy sovereignty.
These goals, combined with increasing global energy demand, have led to a reassessment of the competitiveness of nuclear power, and many countries now recognize that nuclear power, as a regulated, low-carbon energy source, can work well with, rather than compete with, renewable energy sources.
Driven by this conviction, Armenia was one of the first countries to fully support the declaration at COP28 to triple nuclear energy by 2050, and we welcome the First Global Assessment of progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Government of Armenia has also adopted a policy to maintain nuclear power as an essential factor in Armenia’s energy security and as a key component of electricity supply.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today: Along with the development of safety technologies, extending the life of existing nuclear reactors provides a timely and cost-effective path to zero emissions. In this context, Armenia, like many of the countries presented here, has launched a program to extend the operational life of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NAPP) until 2036. This extension will lay a solid foundation for the successful and safe transition of the new nuclear power unit.
To this end, our focus is on civil nuclear power innovations, particularly small modular reactor (SRM) technologies, which offer promising prospects. Growing demand is encouraging leading companies to develop safer and more flexible solutions with shorter construction times and expandable capacity that can better match the needs of national power grids.
Considering these circumstances, Armenia has made a decision on the use of small modular reactor technology. Currently, we are carefully studying the technologies and evaluating the proposals of international partners. The selection process is guided by considerations of reliability, long-term stability, and our commitment to the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation.
excellences,
By 2050, a skilled workforce will be the backbone of the nuclear industry, from design and construction to safe operation, maintenance and ultimately decommissioning. The implementation of training and education programs is important to ensure the availability of the necessary workforce. In this regard, Armenia highly values international cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral formats.
I am glad to note that thanks to these efforts and the dedication of Armenian specialists, no incident related to nuclear or radiation safety occurred during the entire operation of the Armenian Atomic Power Plant.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the importance of safe management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, which is extremely important for both present and future generations. Protection of human health and environment should be our main principle.
We are confident that this summit will contribute to the development of initiatives and partnerships between countries, international organizations, financial institutions and the sector. I wish all participants productive and successful work.
Thank you.”
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