Thematic Planning is a prescriptive planning tool that seeks the most effective and efficient technical solution to a generic development problem.
The objective is:
To formulate and implement Thematic Plans for the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) in order to validate priority areas for technical cooperation based upon a clear understanding of the development problem context, the comparative advantage of specific technical packages, and the roles, responsibilities, and objectives of the principal stakeholders involved in the solution, thus strengthening the social-economic impact of these programmes in Member States.
The strategic value of Thematic Plans is that they provide programmatic guidance on the application of nuclear techniques in technical cooperation, drawing on IAEA’s best practices and experiences. They provide a cost benefit analysis of the nuclear technology against conventional non-nuclear techniques, define a role and responsibilities of the Agency in relation to other stakeholders, identifying resource requirements and seek to outline a course of action. The process of implementing a thematic plan feeds into that of defining a Country Programme Framework (CPF) by providing a problem-based analysis of nuclear techniques that helps ensure the relevance, sustainability and impact of technical cooperation.
Suggestions for topics of a thematic planning exercise can come from anywhere in the Agency. Many come from Technical Departments, TC Department or from a study of where Member States and major financial donors are planning major programmes that could benefit from partnership with the Agency. The exercise is managed by the Technical Departments while the TC Department plays a facilitating role.
