For the period of 2011-2012, the UAE was appointed as a Member of the Board of Governors (BoG) of the IAEA. Throughout the year, 5 meetings of the Board of Governors presented Resolutions to be approved for adoption at the General Conference.
From 19-23 September, the UAE delegation participated in the IAEA 55th General Conference to consider an agenda of issues ranging from nuclear safety and security, development, health, and energy to budgetary and administrative matters.
During the conference, the UAE has confirmed its keenness on applying the highest standards of nuclear safety and security through the implementation of its program of peaceful nuclear energy in full transparency and commitment to the highest standards, and in its commitment to cooperate with the IAEA.
The Permanent Mission’s Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi delivered the UAE’s national statement, ensuring the country’s solid commitment to the development of pacific, safe and secure nuclear energy.
“The UAE has committed itself to using peaceful nuclear energy in abidance with the highest standards of safety and security, and has adopted policy in 2008 for the development of a peaceful nuclear energy programme. The national policy endorses principles of complete transparency, a commitment to the highest standards of non-proliferation and cooperation with the IAEA as fundamental principles by which all nuclear activities and programmes should be governed”, Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the IAEA said in a statement to the General Conference.
In addition, the UAE endorsed key Resolutions at the General Conference – starting with ‘Measures to strengthen international cooperation in nuclear, radiation, transport and waste safety’, which mainly acknowledges the need for and process of strengthening global nuclear safety. The Resolution is also useful in requesting the cooperation of the IAEA’s Secretariat to enhance its efforts to ensure coordination in its safety activities.
The General Conference also approved the Resolution on ‘Strengthening of the Agency’s technical cooperation activities’. Reservations held by Iran, Cuba and Venezuela prevented the adoption of the Resolution on ‘Strengthening the effectiveness and improving the efficiency of the safeguards system and application of the Model Additional Protocol’. Nevertheless, the Resolution on ‘Application of Safeguards in the Middle East’ was adopted, with 113 votes in favor, non against, and 8 abstentions (Botswana, Canada, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau, Uganda, and the USA). The Permanent Mission was engaged in various meetings regarding these matters.
These annual statements are imperative for reiterating the UAE’s unfaltering support for the work of the IAEA, and its renewed commitment to carrying out the UAE nuclear program under the IAEA provisions.
Read the UAE statement to the General Conference here.
