International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Introduction | – Establishment: Founded in 1957 as an autonomous organization within the United Nations system. – Purpose: Promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy and aims to prevent its use for military purposes, including nuclear weapons. – Headquarters: Vienna, Austria. |
| Objectives | – Safeguards and Verification: Ensures that nuclear materials are not diverted to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. – Safety and Security: Enhances nuclear safety and security standards worldwide. – Science and Technology: Facilitates the transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful applications. – Technical Cooperation: Assists member states in using nuclear science and technology for development. |
| Members as of December 2024 | – Total Membership: 176 member states. – Recent Additions: No new members have been added since 2023. |
| Reports/Indices | – IAEA Annual Report: Summarizes developments in major areas of the Agency’s work annually. – Nuclear Safety Review: Provides an overview of worldwide nuclear safety performance. – Nuclear Security Report: Details activities and achievements in strengthening nuclear security. – Technical Cooperation Report: Highlights the impact of technical cooperation projects. – Safeguards Implementation Report: Reviews the application of safeguards in member states. – Nuclear Technology Review: Assesses global developments in nuclear technology. – Country Nuclear Power Profiles: Offers comprehensive information on the status and development of nuclear power programs in member states. – Power Reactor Information System (PRIS): A database providing information on nuclear power reactors worldwide. |
| Instruments | – IAEA Statute: The founding document outlining the Agency’s objectives and functions. – Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements (CSAs): Legal agreements with states to ensure nuclear materials are not diverted to weapons use. – Additional Protocols: Enhance the IAEA’s ability to verify the peaceful use of nuclear materials. – Convention on Nuclear Safety: Aims to legally commit participating states to maintain a high level of safety at nuclear power plants. – Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management: Addresses safety aspects of spent fuel and radioactive waste management. – Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its Amendment: Focuses on the physical protection of nuclear material and facilities. – Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources: Provides guidance on controlling radioactive sources to prevent accidents and malicious acts. |
| Structure | – General Conference: Comprised of all member states, meets annually to consider the Agency’s work and budget. – Board of Governors: A 35-member body responsible for making policy decisions and overseeing the Agency’s functions. – Secretariat: Headed by the Director General, it carries out the day-to-day work of the IAEA. |
| Subsidiary Organs | – Department of Nuclear Safety and Security: Enhances nuclear safety and security worldwide. – Department of Safeguards: Verifies that states comply with their non-proliferation commitments. – Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications: Promotes the use of nuclear techniques in various fields. – Department of Technical Cooperation: Manages projects that apply nuclear technology for development. |
| Committees | – Programme and Budget Committee: Reviews and makes recommendations on the Agency’s program and budget. – Technical Assistance and Cooperation Committee: Oversees technical cooperation activities. – Committee on Safeguards and Verification: Advises on safeguards implementation and verification measures. |
| Initiatives | – Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC): Launched to help countries prevent pandemics caused by zoonotic diseases. – Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI): Aims to accelerate the safe deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs). – Rays of Hope: An initiative to expand access to life-saving cancer diagnosis and treatment. – NUTEC Plastics: Addresses plastic pollution using nuclear technologies. – IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme: Promotes gender equality in the nuclear field by providing scholarships to women. – Atoms4Food: An initiative to help countries boost food security and tackle growing hunger by harnessing nuclear techniques and advanced technologies. – Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI): Launched in 2010 to mobilize extrabudgetary contributions supporting technical cooperation projects and other unfunded IAEA projects in peaceful nuclear applications. |
