IFNEC Global Ministerial Executive Committee Meeting and Conference: Bringing the
World SMRs and Advanced Nuclear
13 November 2019 – 14 November 2019
Washington D.C., United States
During the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation’s (IFNEC) 12–14
November 2019 Ministerial-level Executive Committee meeting and Global Ministerial
Conference titled, Bringing the World Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Nuclear,
the NICE Future initiative was prominently featured, including in a panel co-organized
by the NICE Future initiative on clean energy innovation.
The NICE Future initiative is proud to partner with the International Framework for
Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) on its role in developing policies and cooperation
for the development of secure, clean and abundant nuclear energy in both electric
and nonelectric applications. During the week’s Ministerial events, IFNEC affirmed
it will prioritize the pressing issue of climate change and a global clean energy
future through important collaborations, such as with the NICE Future initiative and
the International Youth Nuclear Congress.
IFNEC Ministerial-level Executive Committee members warmly welcomed as its new Chair
Suzie Jaworowski, Senior Advisor of the U.S. Department of Energy (center-left) at
its annual meeting. The meeting highlighted efforts like those of the NICE Future
initiative, bringing nuclear into global clean energy discussions and educating key
audiences on the availability of innovative options like SMRs.
U.S Secretary of Energy Rick Perry underscores the importance of advancing nuclear
energy as a leading clean energy source at 14 November 2019 IFNEC White House Conference.
Rick Perry (third from the right)—who provided keynote remarks at the 14 November
IFNEC Ministerial Conference at the White House—is joined by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann,
Ranking Member of House Committee on Appropriations; Rita Baranwal, U.S. DOE Assistant
Secretary for Nuclear Energy; IFNEC outgoing chair Julian Gadano, Deputy Secretary
of Energy of Argentina; Senator Lisa Murkowski, and Suzie Jaworowski, incoming Chair
of IFNEC and Member of the NICE Future initiative Lead Countries Team.
On 13 November, U.S. Under Secretary of Energy Mark Menezes (center) outlined the
importance of NICE Future initiative work at a meeting of IFNEC’s Executive Committee,
which invites the views of ministers from 65 Countries and 4 international organizations.
Menezes emphasized the NICE Future initiative mission in “showcasing the roles that
nuclear energy can play as both a primary and complementary energy source in bolstering
environmental stewardship, economic growth, energy access, and security.” He stressed
that there are “1.3 billion people living in energy poverty who desperately need the
empowerment that energy—nuclear energy—brings… Nuclear provides nearly one third of
the world’s clean energy.”
IFNEC highlighted NICE Future initiative themes with speakers (L-R) Facundo Deluchi
of Argentina’s Energy Ministry; Suzie Jaworowski, Senior Advisor, Policy and Communications,
Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy; Jean-Michel Ruggieri of CEA Director
of the SMR Program, France; and Zbigniew Kubacki, Deputy Director for Nuclear Energy,
Ministry of Energy, Poland.
