In a landmark diplomatic and development mission, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), concluded a five-nation African tour aimed at expanding cancer care and promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology across the continent. Visiting Ethiopia, Rwanda, Malawi, Kenya, and Liberia, Grossi reinforced the IAEA’s commitment to health, food security, energy access, and environmental resilience in low- and middle-income countries.
At the heart of his visit was the scaling up of Rays of Hope, the IAEA’s flagship initiative launched in 2022 to close the cancer care gap in underserved nations. With cancer now a leading cause of death in Africa surpassing malaria and tuberculosis the initiative focuses on supporting countries in establishing radiotherapy, imaging, and nuclear medicine services. More than 90 countries have requested assistance under the program, and over 80 professionals have received IAEA-supported training so far.
In Addis Ababa, Grossi inaugurated the first Rays of Hope Forum, where participating nations assessed progress and mapped out strategies for expansion. He also held high-level talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali to advance cooperation in cancer care and nuclear energy.
One of the tour’s major milestones came in Malawi, where Grossi joined President Lazarus Chakwera and Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda to inaugurate the country’s first public radiotherapy center at Kamuzu Central Hospital. “This is a major milestone under Rays of Hope, which supported the centre with life-saving equipment,” Grossi said, marking a transformative moment in public healthcare for Malawians.
In Kenya, he met with Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to discuss further expansion of regional cancer centers. Kenya was an early recipient of IAEA-supplied linear accelerators and continues to develop its radiotherapy infrastructure.
Grossi’s historic first visit to Liberia marked another significant step. In Monrovia, he broke ground on the country’s first radiotherapy center alongside President Joseph Boakai and Health Minister Louise Kpoto. The project, which begins with a mammography unit and staff training, signals a new chapter in Liberia’s healthcare landscape. Grossi also discussed broader development areas, including food security through Atoms4Food, ocean protection under NUTEC Plastics, and sustainable water management.
In Rwanda, Grossi addressed the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEISA 2025), highlighting how nuclear science can drive energy access, smart agriculture, and climate resilience across the continent. He also met with Rwandan and Nigerien leaders to explore regional collaboration on food and water security.
Since its inception, Rays of Hope has delivered tangible outcomes: radiotherapy equipment has reached countries including Kenya, Malawi, Niger, and Paraguay; 12 regional anchor cancer centers have been established; and construction is underway in Chad, DR Congo, Djibouti, and Lesotho. The initiative has enabled new pathways to treatment for thousands who previously faced death due to lack of access.
Beyond cancer care, the IAEA’s growing footprint in Africa includes advancing crop productivity through radiation-induced mutations, water resource management using isotope hydrology, and environmental monitoring via nuclear techniques.
“As wars and conflicts rage elsewhere, Africa’s needs don’t stop,” said Grossi. “We are here, standing with Africa, to deliver science that saves lives and builds futures.”
His tour underscored the IAEA’s evolving role not only as a nuclear watchdog, but as a committed development partner harnessing science for sustainable progress.