IAEA expands cooperation with Kenya on peaceful nuclear applications

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi visited Kenya this week to strengthen cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, including healthcare and energy, according to a press release. On his third visit as Director General, Mr Grossi traveled to Mombasa with Kenya’s Ministry of Health Aden Duale and Governor Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir to inaugurate a new linear accelerator (linac) at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital. A second linac was launched the same day in Nakuru. Both machines were provided under the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative, with financial support from the United States of America. The visit also included the signing of a new cooperation agreement on Kenya’s nuclear power program.

Kenya was one of the first countries to join the Rays of Hope initiative when it was launched by Mr Grossi in 2022. More than 100 countries have since joined the initiative, which expands access to cancer care where it is needed most. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Kenya recorded around 44,700 new cancer cases and 29,000 cancer-related deaths in 2022. The new linacs use high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells. They will help expand the hospitals’ capacity to treat more cancer patients in Kenya and the region with radiation therapy.

The inauguration of the linacs in Mombasa and Nakuru marks a significant expansion of radiotherapy services in Kenya. The equipment is intended to allow more patients to receive treatment within the country rather than traveling abroad. Both facilities are positioned to serve patients from across the wider region. The Rays of Hope initiative continues to channel international support toward strengthening cancer care infrastructure. Kenya’s early participation in the initiative has helped shape the rollout of such equipment.

“For too long, many cancer patients had to travel abroad for treatment. Now, more people will be able to receive lifesaving care closer to home. Kenya is showing what can be achieved through commitment, partnership and solidarity,” said Mr Grossi. “This is what Rays of Hope is about: changing lives for better and bringing care where it is needed most,” he added. The Director General emphasized the partnership between the IAEA and Kenya in delivering these results.

During the visit, Mr Grossi also participated in the Africa Forward Summit: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth in Nairobi, which brought together world leaders, financial institutions, and private sector representatives to plan Africa’s future innovation and growth. He said access to safe and secure nuclear energy could “energize and dynamize” Africa’s future. On the margins of the summit, Mr Grossi signed an agreement with Kenya’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandayi to increase IAEA support for Kenya’s nuclear power program. “The IAEA remains committed to supporting Kenya’s safe, secure and peaceful development of nuclear energy,” Mr Grossi said. The agreement reflects Kenya’s steady progress in advancing its nuclear power plans.