IAEA Board of Governors
Agenda Item 3: Report of the Technical Assistance and Cooperation Committee
22 November 2023
Statement by H.E Ambassador Ian Biggs, Governor and Resident Representative of Australia to the IAEA
Thank you Chair,
Australia is proud to support the essential work of the IAEA to enhance access to nuclear science, research and technology for peaceful purposes, consistent with Article Four of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Chair,
Over the past 5 years, Australia has provided approximately $15 million to the TCF, in addition to hosting fellows, scientific visits, training course and workshops. Since the Board met in September, we have also provided 3.5 million Australian dollars in extrabudgetary contributions to the Agency, including towards Rays of Hope, the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Program, and the Global Water Analysis Laboratory Network. This will support greater opportunities for women in the nuclear field, provide capacity building and access to radiotherapy in our Indo-Pacific region, and improve water resource management for Small Island and Developing States.
Chair,
Australia is proud to be chairing the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Asia and the Pacific – the RCA, one of the primary vehicles for nuclear science and technology technical cooperation in Asia and the Pacific. We are pleased to see that seven new RCA projects aimed at advancing human health, food security and groundwater management have been included in the 2024-2025 biennium.
Our priority as Chair has also been to advance gender mainstreaming within the programmatic activities of the RCA. In this context, we welcome ongoing efforts by the IAEA to promote gender equality, gender mainstreaming and the participation of women in all TC activities.
Chair,
Efficient and effective management of the TC Programme will ensure the Agency continues to deliver the best possible outcomes for Member States. In this regard, the work of the OIOS is particularly crucial and I thank the Director of the OIOS and his team for all their efforts.
Finally Chair,
Australia would like to sincerely thank Japan for chairing the Friends of the Rapporteur group this year, and for drafting the report.
With this, Australia is pleased to join consensus in approving the TACC report.
Thank you Chair.