A major international air hub in Kazakhstan's southern city Almaty is going to install the radiation detection equipment to prevent nuclear smuggling, the Government Security News Agency reported Wednesday.
Installation of the radiation technology will be funded by the government of Norway with a 500,000 U.S. dollars' contribution, the report said.
Kazakhstan is the world's largest natural uranium producer and guards enriched uranium that can be used in nuclear weapons, Xinhua reported.
Deployment of the technology at the airport of Kazakhstan's biggest city is part of a so-called the Second Line of Defense program launched by the U.S.-based National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), who is now in partnership with Norway, the report said.
The program is designed to improve detection capabilities for nuclear and radiological materials at airports, border checkpoints and seaports. The equipment will help border officials to identify and prevent nuclear materials smuggling through the port.
"We welcome Norway's continued partnership and generous support as part of our common commitment to strengthen nuclear security worldwide," the news agency cited NNSA Deputy Administrator Anne Harrington as saying.
The Norwegian Ambassador to the United States Wegger Strommen said the Norway government is "fully committed to supporting international initiatives to prevent illicit proliferation of radioactive materials."
"The current project in Kazakhstan is crucial because it builds capacity for Kazakhstan to contribute to these efforts," said the Ambassador.
It is the second time that Norway supported Kazakhstan's efforts to bolster its defenses against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Last year the Central Asian country was given a Norwegian grant of 837,600 U.S. dollars as part of an NNSA project under the Group of Eight Global Partnership.