The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

 

Introduction

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons.

The IAEA was established as an autonomous organisation on 29 July 1957. Though established independently of the United Nations through its own international treaty, the IAEA Statute, the IAEA reports to both the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.

The IAEA has its headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

The IAEA has two "Regional Safeguards Offices" which are located in Toronto, Canada, and in Tokyo, Japan.

Currently, it has 171 members. The latest member is Saint Lucia which joined the IAEA in 2019.

India became a member in 1957 itself.

History of IAEA

In 1953, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed the creation of an international body to both regulate and promote the peaceful use of atomic power (nuclear power), in his Atoms for Peace address to the UN General Assembly. 

In September 1954, the United States proposed to the General Assembly the creation of an international agency to take control of fissile material, which could be used either for nuclear power or for nuclear weapons. This agency would establish a kind of "nuclear bank."

From 8 to 20 August 1955, the United Nations held the International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Geneva, Switzerland.

In October 1957, a Conference on the IAEA Statute was held at the Headquarters of the United Nations to approve the founding document for the IAEA, which was negotiated in 1955–1957 by a group of twelve countries. The Statute of the IAEA was approved on 23 October 1956 and came into force on 29 July 1957.

Former US Congressman W. Sterling Cole served as the IAEA's first Director General from 1957 to 1961. Cole

IAEA were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.

Function of IAEA

Promoting and assist research, development and practical application of atomic energy for peaceful uses throughout the world

Establishing and administering safeguards designed to ensure that such activity assisted by the Agency is not used to further any military purpose

Apply safeguards to relevant activities at the request of Member States

Apply, under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and other international treaties, mandatory comprehensive safeguards in non-nuclear weapon States (NNWS) Parties to such treaties.

Major Programme launched by IAEA

Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) – It is a programme created by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2004 to build upon the Agency’s experience in radiation medicine and technology, and enable developing countries to introduce, expand or improve their cancer care capacity and services in a sustainable manner by integrating radiotherapy into a comprehensive cancer control programme that maximizes its therapeutic effectiveness and impact. It also addresses other challenges such as infrastructure gaps and, through partnerships, builds capacity and long term support for continuous education and training of cancer care professionals, as well as for community-based civil society action to combat cancer.

IAEA water availability enhancement project (Iwave) - Set up in 2010, the IAEA Water Availability Enhancement Project is an initiative aimed at helping Member States improve the long-term access to freshwater by using science-based, comprehensive assessments of national water resources.

International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) - INPRO is a membership-based project that supports its members on their long-term planning and collaboration on innovations in reactors, fuel cycles and institutional approaches that will promote the sustainable development of nuclear energy. INPRO was established in 2000 to help ensure that nuclear energy remains available to contribute to meeting global energy needs until the end of the 21st century.

 Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI) - The Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI), launched in 2010, has become instrumental in mobilizing extra budgetary contributions which supplement the Technical Cooperation Fund to support technical cooperation projects and other unfunded projects of the IAEA in the areas of peaceful application of nuclear technology. PUI has also allowed the IAEA to be more flexible and quicker in responding to shifting priorities of Member States, as well as to unexpected needs or unforeseen emergency events.

Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network - The IAEA Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network is both a human network and a web platform, allowing its members to share nuclear safety and security knowledge and services to further the goal of achieving worldwide implementation of a high level of nuclear safety and security. The GNSSN, as a knowledge network, is part of an integrated IAEA methodology for capacity-building and contributes to enhancing international cooperation and dialogue in the field of nuclear safety and security, as well as harmonizing national approaches to nuclear safety knowledge management.

IAEA Safeguard

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards are a system of inspection and verification of the peaceful uses of nuclear materials as part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The objective of IAEA safeguard is to deter the spread of nuclear weapon by the early detection of the misuse of nuclear material or technology.

Safeguards are based on assessments of the correctness and completeness of a State’s declared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities.

 Verification measures include on-site inspections, visits, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Basically, two sets of measures are carried out in accordance with the type of safeguards agreements in force with a State.

Ø One set relates to verifying State reports of declared nuclear material and activities.

Ø Another set enables the IAEA not only to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material but also to provide assurances as to the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in a State.

Criticism of IAEA

Voluntary acceptance of safeguard - The IAEA has no power to compel any country to sign any treaty or agreement on safeguards. All safeguards agreements are entered into at the request of the country or countries concerned.

The IAEA has no enforcement power - The difference between the power of a State to enforce compliance with its laws and regulations and that of the IAEA must be clearly understood. Most countries operating nuclear plants have extensive legislation and procedures at present to regulate the conduct of facility operators and to protect nuclear facilities and material against sabotage, theft or other criminal actions.

Limited power of inspection - The responsibility of reporting to the IAEA all plant or nuclear material that has to be safeguarded rests with the State or States concerned. If safeguards are to be applied to facilities or material already in existence in or indigenously produced by the State concerned, it is solely the government of the State that has this responsibility.

Problem in designating inspectors - The IAEA is equally unable to compel any State to agree to accept and admit particular IAEA inspectors. In fact, some States have refused to accept entire categories of inspectors. For instance, certain States have objected to designation of inspectors of particular nationalities. Other States have in the past sought to limit the total number of inspectors designated to carry out inspections in their territory.

Discrimination among state - One major criticism of the IAEA is that it never challenges the nuclear dominance of the five permanent members of the UNSC, who themselves hold some of the biggest nuclear arsenals of the world.