By: Laymah E. Kollie
A high-level, seven-member Liberian delegation has begun a one-week working visit to Vienna, Austria, to engage in an intensive legislative assistance meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) aimed at reviewing and finalizing Liberia’s draft National Nuclear Law.
The visit, fully supported by the IAEA, represents a major milestone in Liberia’s efforts to establish a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for the safe, secure, and peaceful application of nuclear science and technology.
Once finalized, the law will position Liberia to meet international standards while expanding access to nuclear applications for development purposes.
The delegation reflects a multidisciplinary, whole-of-government approach. It includes Senator Dabah M. Varpilah of Grand Cape Mount County; Representative Johnson Samuel Nagbe Williams, Sr. of District #3, River Gee County; and three legal experts from the Ministry of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
Also participating are two scientists from the EPA’s Environmental Research and Radiation Safety Department, which currently serves as Liberia’s designated national authority for radiation protection and safety.
Liberia’s engagement with the IAEA is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which hosts the National Liaison Office for all IAEA technical cooperation activities, ensuring policy coherence and effective international collaboration.
The proposed Nuclear Law is critical to enabling targeted IAEA technical assistance and aligns directly with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (2025–2029).
Together with the recently signed IAEA–Liberia Country Programme Framework (CPF) 2026–2030, the law will support peaceful nuclear applications across agriculture, water resources management, healthcare, environmental protection, and radioactive waste management.
Through this initiative, Liberia aims to harness science and technology to drive inclusive growth, strengthen human capital, and promote sustainable development, reinforcing its commitment to shared prosperity under the ARREST Agenda.
