The President of the Nation, Javier Milei, travelled to the Marambio Base with the Chancellor Diana Mondino; the Ministers of Defence, Luis Petri; of Interior, Guillermo Francos; the Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei, and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, to initiate cooperation activities between Argentina and the IAEA for the use of nuclear technology in the control of plastic pollution (NUTEC Plastics) in Antarctica.

The implementation of the agreement is coordinated by the Argentine Antarctic Programme through the National Antarctic Directorate (DNA), which reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty System.

"Through this programme, Argentina will begin a new chapter in its long and distinguished history in Antarctic science. Through international cooperation agreements we seek to enhance our capabilities to provide quality scientific information for decision-making within the framework of the Antarctic Treaty," said the President.

Activities include the organisation of expert missions and training for sample collection and analysis, as well as logistical support to facilitate the access of scientific personnel to Antarctica, including publications and best practices in the field of cooperation.

The NUTEC Plastics initiative is a programme for the study of marine pollution by plastics that covers almost all the world's seas, except the Antarctic. Through this agreement, our country will be responsible for extending this programme to the White Continent.

The project "Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Implementation of the Nutec Plastics Initiative" was approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and included in the Antarctic Annual Plan 2023-2024.

The Argentine Antarctic Institute (IAA), which coordinates and disseminates scientific and technological activity in Antarctica with the aim of supporting Argentine interests in the Continent, is the executing agency responsible for this project, in international cooperation with the IAEA's NUCLEAR APPLICATION MARINE LABORATORY (NAML).

In this sense, the President of the Nation stated that "the exercise of science, cooperation and the preservation of the Antarctic environment are priority axes of our Antarctic foreign policy", and added that, in this way, "Argentina is renewing its commitment to the international community".

The project will be developed through the transfer to Antarctica of two groups that will work for 60 and 120 days, respectively. The Ministry of Defence, through the Antarctic Command, will provide logistical support for the transfer and stay of the researchers, while the Antarctic Institute will carry out the analysis of the samples, and the IAEA will provide supplies, laboratory equipment and funding for training.