IAEA Board of Governors: 13 September 2017
Statement by HE Dr Brendon Hammer, Resident Representative to the IAEA
Agenda Item 4b: Nuclear Security Plan 2018-2021
Thank you, Chair.
Australia welcomes the Director General’s Nuclear Security Plan 2018-2021.
Chair,
Australia acknowledges that the responsibility for nuclear security within a State rests with that State.
We also note that – since the 1970s – the Agency has, upon request, provided assistance to States to support their national efforts to establish and improve national nuclear security regimes.
Chair,
Australia thanks the Secretariat for the comprehensive consultation process that has culminated in the Nuclear Security Plan 2018-2021.
This Plan takes account of: the Agency’s Statute; General Conference resolutions; the 2016 Ministerial Declaration adopted during the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security; where appropriate, activities set out in the Nuclear Security Plan 2014–2017; the decisions and resolutions of the Agency Policy Making Organs; recommendations of the Nuclear Security Guidance Committee; and discussions stemming from information sessions about early versions of the Plan.
Chair,
Australia endorses the Plan as tabled and – though it may have some imperfections – we thank those who have worked so hard this week on finalising it, including the Chair.
Chair,
With these comments, the Australian delegation endorses the Nuclear Security Plan 2018–2021.
The Australian delegation endorses the continuation of voluntary funding for the activities included in the Nuclear Security Plan 2018-2021, without targets, and asks that the Plan be transmitted to the General Conference, with the recommendation that the Conference take note of it.
The Australian delegation calls upon Member States to contribute on a voluntary basis to the Nuclear Security Fund.
Thank you.