IAEA Board of Governors: 13 June 2017
Statement by Ms Alison Drury, Alternate Resident Representative to the IAEA
Agenda Item: Report of the Programme and Budget Committee
Thank you, Chair.
Australia welcomes the Agency’s Draft Programme and Budget for 2018-19, which will enable the Agency to continue to carry out its important program of work. We thank the co-chairs for their efforts in overseeing the budget negotiation process as well as the constructive and supportive role played by the Department of Management led by Ms Hayward.
In light of a general environment of budget restraint, and because it is good practice, we welcome in particular the Agency’s on-going efforts to seek savings and efficiencies in the work of the Agency and define performance indicators.
Australia attaches great importance to the TC program and always pays in full and on time. For this reason, Australia joins with those who have expressed their disappointment that we were not able to discuss in detail the strengthening of the due account mechanism. This is a practical measure to increase the rate of attainment and we support the proposal to look closely at this idea with a view to its application in 2020-21.
Australia has had opportunity to review the note prepared by the Secretariat – 2017/ Note 57. While Australia is of the view that the original text of the Agency’s Draft Programme and Budget was preferable, we are able to join consensus on the understanding that the revisions as presented in this Note constitute the final text.
Thank you, Chair.