OBJECTIVES
To promote technical co-operation among developing countries (TCDC) in the nuclear field.

BACKGROUND
- RCA Member States are exploring ways to fully exploit the TCDC mechanism to help the less developed countries in the region. It is expected that considerable financial support will come from RCA Member States to finance TCDC activities over the years to come.
- At several meetings held among the representatives of three regional agreements ? AFRA(Africa), ARCAL(Latin America) and RCA ? in July and September 1996 and October 1997 in Vienna, it was agreed to strengthen TCDC activities both intra-and inter-regionally and develop a strategy to guide Member States towards this end. Each regional agreement programme will develop its own workplan of activities to reflect the priorities and needs of its region.
- Some of the recommendations pertain to providing Agency funds for TCDC, creating an inventory of resources within the region, and facilitating exchange of information among the regional agreements.
- In connection with this last item, an interregional forum is being proposed among representatives of the three regional agreements to strengthen this exchange of information and enhance TCDC.
- RCA is in a particularly good position to facilitate TCDC owing to the participation of the region’s three developed countries, Australia, Japan and New Zealand, and to the large number of industrializing countries in the region. However, the current economic upheavals in the region have affected the capability of some of these to assist other countries.

PROJECT PLAN
Regional resource institutions will continue to provide expert services, lecturers for national activities, and training opportunities for scientists. The project will also facilitate the implementation of training activities funded by Member States. The full scope of modalities, which could include on-the-job training opportunities, will be established at an RCA meeting of national representatives. Member States have designated contact persons for monitoring TCDC in their respective countries and have designated Malaysia as lead country for TCDC activities in RCA. The envisaged interregional forum will help identify additional TCDC activities.

NATIONAL COMMITMENT
The commitment of Member States to TCDC is reflected through their active participation in the RCA established networking mechanisms and the recent agreement to designate lead countries in thematic areas, in which several sub-projects will be conducted under a joint UNDP/RCA/IAEA project, and for on-going projects. Member States contribute both in kind and in cash to TCDC activities. The national RCA coordinator has the responsibility to ensure that all TCDC activities are reported annually to the Agency for inclusion in the RCA Annual Report.

AGENCY INPUT
Agency funds will be used to assist Member States in the development, implementation and promotion of TCDC activities.

PROJECT IMPACT
The RCA has proven to be an effective mechanism for increasing regional self-reliance and co-operation. The development and implementation of TCDC initiatives in solving clearly identified problems within a limited and defined timeframe will maximize the use of regional resources and strengthen regional bonds.