The role of the IAEA

The International Atomic Energy

Agency (lAEA) is the world’s central intergovernmental forum for co-operation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It is part of the United Nations family or organisations.

Stemming from American President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech before the UN General Assembly in 1953, the agency assists its 124 member states in their development of a nuclear infrastructure through the transfer of rel evant data, expertise and technology.

A substantial part of the agency’s work relates to the development of peaceful applications of nuclear energy, including safety and waste management aspects. Almost half of its work, howev er, focuses on programmes that can be applied to everyday life in food and agri culture, health, industry, radiation protec tion and public information.

The agency helps member countries verify their compliance with internation al treaties meant to ensure that nuclear material is not diverted for military pur poses. This pioneering role in preventing the further spread of nuclear weapons involves deploying some 200 inspectors worldwide to more than 1000 installa tions and other locations covered under the lAEA Safeguards programme.

Another area of continuing emphasis is nuclear safety. Although the lAEA is not an international regulatory body, its nuclear-related work is mainly directed towards assisting national regulatory bodies.

An international convention on nucle ar safety came into force in October 1996.

It addresses the safety of land-based civilian nuclear power plants. Codes of practice and safety guides have been developed for the siting, design, opera tion and quality assurance of nuclear power plants.

The lAEA has provided scientific expertise to help assess the radiological situation in Kazakstan where nuclear tests have been conducted or the Kara Sea and Eastern Seas near Japan and Korea where radioactive wastes have been deposited ■