The United Kingdom supports the IAEA’s Technical
Cooperation programme, which plays a vital role in
delivering the safe and secure exchange of nuclear
technologies and expertise for peaceful uses, as envisaged
in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It is
essential that all countries can access the benefits of the
peaceful uses of nuclear technologies. This is why the
United Kingdom will – later this year – host a Forum to
review the outcomes of the recent workshops on expanding
access to these benefits.
It is also why the United Kingdom pays our TCF target in
full and on time. This is in addition to the €17 billion
the UK spent on International Development in 2019. We urge
other Member States to pay their contributions to the TCF
in full and on time to minimise any constraints on the
effectiveness of the Agency’s development projects.
We recognise that the increasing use of nuclear technology
means that the Agency is trying to do more with less, and
therefore encourage the Agency to implement the important
OIOS recommendation to develop long and medium-term
strategies to help prioritise its efforts in the areas
where they can make the biggest impact. We also call on the
Agency to ensure robust governance mechanisms are in place
to ensure accountability and transparency of TC programmes.
Chair,
The use of nuclear technology is increasingly important to
combat global challenges and achieve the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We welcome the
Agency’s work to assist Member States to combat the
Covid-19 pandemic, as an example of how the Agency can
rapidly deliver support to those most in need. We encourage
the Secretariat to build on this success, and ensure that
all Member States can fully realise the benefits of all
forms of technical cooperation. To this end, we encourage
the IAEA to do more to support Least Developed Countries in
accessing a much higher percentage of the TC Fund.
Chair,
Climate change is another challenge which affects us all
and the UK commends the work of the TC programme to
increase access to nuclear technologies for monitoring,
mitigating and adapting to climate change. We encourage the
Secretariat to continue to link into the wider UN response
on this issue and to ensure a joined approach across IAEA
departments. The UK will host the rescheduled COP26 in
November 2021 and we look forward to working closely with
the IAEA to show the part that nuclear technologies can
play in the fight against climate change.
Nuclear energy also has an important role to play in
tackling climate change and delivering a sustainable energy
supply for the future. In the United Kingdom, the National
Nuclear Laboratory has deepened its co-operation with the
IAEA in this area. I am delighted to announce that this
cooperation will form the basis of the first ever UK-IAEA
Collaborating Centre.
Finally Chair,
We welcome the expansion of female participation in the TC
programme noted in the report, as well as the increasing
focus of gender within specific projects. The United
Kingdom continues to support the IAEA’s work on gender
equality.
With these comments, the UK takes note of document
GOV/2020/19
Thank you, Chair
