East Asia Regional Workshop on National Data Centers

From August 11-15, 2025, in Hanoi, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) in collaboration with the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VASR) co-organized the East Asia Regional Workshop on National Data Centers (NDC). Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary, CTBTO, and Mr. Nguyen Hoang Linh, Director of VASR, attended and delivered the opening speech at the Workshop.

Bộ Khoa học và Công nghệ•13/08/2025

The workshop was attended by delegates who are CTBTO experts, representatives of East Asian countries and relevant agencies of Vietnam (Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute), Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Center (Institute of Geophysics), Institute of Earth Sciences (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology)).

This activity aims to enhance the capacity of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) member states in implementing the mechanism for reporting, evaluating and using data from the International Monitoring System (IMS) and products of the International Data Center (IDC). This is also an opportunity for NDCs in the East Asia region to exchange experiences, share expertise and build a closer cooperation network, towards the common goal of promoting the early entry into force of the CTBT, contributing to international peace and security.

At the workshop, Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the CTBTO, emphasized the importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in preventing the proliferation and development of nuclear weapons, as well as protecting the environment and human health. At the same time, he recalled the tragic event of Nagasaki in history to highlight the need for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and the joint efforts of the above countries for a world without nuclear weapons.

Mr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary, CTBTO.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Director of the Department of Nuclear Safety Nguyen Hoang Linh affirmed that Vietnam, as a country that signed the CTBT in 1996 and ratified it in 2006, has always demonstrated a strong commitment to the application of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, ensuring nuclear safety and security and complying with international commitments. Data from the CTBTO IMS System, including seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radiation measurement stations, has been effectively exploited by Vietnam's National Data Centers, such as the Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology and the Institute of Earth Sciences under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. These data not only serve to monitor and detect nuclear tests but also support scientific research, early warning of natural disasters such as tsunamis and environmental radiation monitoring.

Hội thảo khu vực Đông Á về Trung tâm dữ liệu quốc gia - Ảnh 2.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Linh, Director of the Department of Occupational Safety and Health spoke at the Workshop.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Linh highly appreciated the support of CTBTO through workshops, training courses and practical programs on IMS data exploitation and on-site inspection guidance training. These activities, with the participation of officers of the Department of Nuclear Safety and related units, have helped Vietnam improve its professional capacity, access advanced technology, international experience and actively contribute to the goals of CTBT.

During the five-day workshop, CTBTO experts and delegates will discuss, share experiences and practice scenarios to simulate the proposed operational mechanism under the CTBT, with NDCs simulating the decision-making process in real time: conducting initial analysis using IMS data, integrating relevant national datasets, collaborating with other NDCs to refine the event characterization, and finally drafting technical recommendations for national authorities. The scenario provides a practical, hands-on opportunity to build technical capacity, strengthen regional cooperation, and simulate key functions of the verification mechanism.

Overview of the Workshop.

The CTBT is an international treaty adopted in 1996, which prohibits all nuclear weapons testing and other nuclear explosions, whether for military or civilian purposes, globally.

The CTBT's objective is to prevent the development and proliferation of nuclear weapons, promote disarmament and international peace. However, the treaty has not yet entered into force because it needs to be ratified by 44 specific countries and some important countries such as the US, China, India, and Pakistan have not yet ratified.

The CTBTO is an international organization headquartered in Vienna, Austria, established to support the implementation of the CTBT. The CTBTO currently operates the International Monitoring System (IMS) with more than 300 monitoring stations worldwide, using seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radiometric technologies to detect nuclear tests. The organization also promotes ratification of the treaty and provides monitoring data to member states, and supports emergency response such as detecting tsunamis or nuclear accidents. Vietnam signed the Treaty in 1996 and ratified it in 2006, demonstrating its strong commitment to promoting the Treaty's early entry into force.