Take, for example, efforts to locate precious ground water supplies, an issue of vital importance to the developing world. The use of nuclear isotopes offers a much more efficient method for finding ground water reserves. Nuclear technology may also play a role in the detection of abandoned land mines, helping to rid the world of these terrible devices that cripple and kill so many innocent people. IAEA's technical co-operation programme is our main vehicle for transferring nuclear applications to developing countries. Because our budget is limited, we must be sure that our efforts fit within a nation's larger development strategies and we must work closely with others seeking the same goals.
Education is the key.
There's a lot of public misunderstanding and misperceptions about nuclear technology. People are hypersensitive to nuclear technology and we must help them understand that, like all other technologies, nuclear technology carries benefits and risks, and that mature ways have been developed for weighing one against the other. Decisions on whether and how to use nuclear technology will differ from one country to another depending on a nation's needs and priorities. Nevertheless, there's a need for an organisation like IAEA to ensure that the public receives appropriate information to make intelligent decisions about the available options. This raises another problem.