IAEA Board of Governors
Agenda Item 3: Nuclear security: Nuclear Security Review 2024
4 March 2024
Statement by H.E Ambassador Ian Biggs, Governor and Resident Representative of Australia to the IAEA
Thank you, Chair.
Australia thanks the Director General for presenting the Nuclear Security Review 2024.
Throughout 2023, the global community has again been reminded of the importance of nuclear security and our collective roles in advancing nuclear security activities and technologies. This is evident in the Agency’s work regarding nuclear security in Ukraine, in response to Russia’s illegal, unjust and unprovoked invasion, including at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Australia welcomes the leadership that the IAEA continues to demonstrate in this regard, under the Director General's guidance, and its wider efforts in supporting Member States in strengthening nuclear security frameworks globally.
Chair
Australia congratulates the Agency on its ongoing commitment to supporting the continued sustainability of nuclear security in Member States. The opening of the IAEA state-of-the-art Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Centre in October last year is an achievement we are pleased to support.
We also welcome the increasing number of training activities the Agency offers that are accessible online and in person. The equitable transfer of knowledge and skills is essential to confronting current and emerging threats to nuclear security. Australia will continue to support Member States by participating in the Agency's capacity-building activities.
Chair
We note in the Nuclear Security Review the important work the IAEA does in supporting Member States through peer review and advisory services. Australia is a proud contributor and recipient of this work. Our nuclear agencies across Australia provide a number of advisory services to the IAEA and Member States including in physical protection, nuclear forensics, nuclear terrorism, cyber security and in the development of nuclear security guidance documents.
We strongly support the IAEA's role and remain committed to furthering its international cooperation in nuclear security.
Chair
Australia is delighted to be co-hosting a multi-faceted nuclear security workshop with the Agency that will bring together almost 20 countries from the Indo-Pacific to Australia. Amongst other subject areas, the workshop, to be held in April, focuses on supporting these Member and Non-Member States in developing and implementing their Integrated Nuclear Security Sustainability Plans.
Chair
Australia acknowledges and commends the Agency's preparations for the 2024 International Conference on Nuclear Security. We are pleased to play a significant leadership role at the Conference, demonstrating Australia's ongoing commitment to fostering international cooperation, information exchange and sharing best practices.
Finally, Australia notes that the share of women participants in overall IAEA nuclear security training activities in 2023 was 24.78%. Australia strongly supports measures that seek to promote and enhance gender equality in the IAEA’s Nuclear Security activities, and we encourage further efforts in this regard.
With these comments, Australia takes note of the draft Nuclear Security Review 2024.