Vietnam elected as Chairman of the IAEA Board of Governors
Vietnam joined the IAEA in 1978 and has been elected to the Board of Governors three times.
On September 23, at the first meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the 2013-2014 academic year at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, 35 member countries of the Board unanimously elected Vietnam as Chairman of the Board for this academic year.
Previously, on September 19, at the 57th Session of the General Assembly of the International Atomic Energy Agency, member countries unanimously elected Vietnam and 10 other countries as members of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency for the 2013-2015 term.
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First day of the 57th Session of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Austria, September 16 |
At the meeting, Ambassador Nguyen Thiep, a member of Vietnam and Chairman of the Board of Governors, thanked the IAEA member countries for their trust and support for Vietnam. Vietnam's first assumption of the position of Chairman of the Board of Governors marks Vietnam's clear maturity at the IAEA and multilateral forums, and is also a new step forward in implementing Vietnam's policy of proactive and active international integration.
Ambassador Nguyen Thiep affirmed that with the Nuclear Power program being implemented in Vietnam, participating in and serving as Chairman of the Board of Governors will certainly be an opportunity for Vietnam to contribute to the implementation of the goals of the International Atomic Energy Agency, demonstrating its consistent policy on promoting the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as well as the policy of preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons towards complete and thorough disarmament of nuclear weapons.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an international intergovernmental organization, established in 1957, plays a central role in international cooperation to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, improve people's lives, ensure energy security, food security and environmental protection.
The International Atomic Energy Agency also has the function of controlling and preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, ensuring that the use of this energy source does not serve military purposes, enhancing nuclear security and safety through the development and implementation of international standards on nuclear security and safety, and implementing regulations on nuclear inspection.
Recently, the International Atomic Energy Agency has also taken a leading position in ensuring nuclear safety, developing and implementing Regulations, Codes of Conduct, and guidelines in this field as well as supporting countries in implementing the Nuclear Security Action Plan adopted in September 2011.
The Board of Governors, with 35 members, many of whom are countries with advanced nuclear technology, is the policy-making body of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which, through regular meetings during the year, reviews the activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency under the direction of the Director General. The Board of Governors has the function of appointing the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, discussing and deciding on the program of activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency, promoting the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), approving the Safeguards Agreements and Additional Protocols signed by the International Atomic Energy Agency with countries through standards on nuclear safety and security, promoting technical cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency and countries, proposing the budget for approval by the General Assembly, etc.
Vietnam has participated in the International Atomic Energy Agency since 1978, and has been elected as a member of the Board of Governors three times (1991-1993; 1997-1999; 2003-2005). Its active participation and contributions to the work of the Board of Governors have been highly appreciated by the International Atomic Energy Agency and other countries. Vietnam's participation has contributed to promoting cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Vietnam, enhancing the capacity for research, development and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in Vietnam./.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - DT
