Lithuania Elected to the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors

On September 15-19, at the 69th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) taking place in Vienna (Austria), Lithuania was elected to the IAEA Board of Governors for the period of 2025-2027.

"Membership in the IAEA Board of Governors is a long-awaited moment for Lithuania, which has been waiting for almost 20 years. As members of the Board of Governors, we will continue to strongly support the IAEA's as a technical organization's mission to promote the use of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes and the mandate given to it by countries to prevent the use of nuclear materials for prohibited purposes. With a view of today's geopolitical context, it is particularly important to maintain the organization's independence and professionalism, to which we will contribute constructively," Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, Acting Minister of Energy, said.

Membership in the Board of Governors will enable Lithuania to strive for the uncompromising application of IAEA nuclear and radiation safety standards, thereby ensuring the highest level of nuclear and radiation safety in nuclear energy projects globally and regionally. Lithuania will advocate for further adherence to and universal application of relevant legally binding international conventions and non-binding codes of conduct. Lithuania will strongly support the IAEA's technical cooperation and assistance activities so that Member States actively share knowledge and experience in various areas, including the safe decommissioning of nuclear facilities, radioactive waste management, and nuclear and radiation safety. Lithuania will also unconditionally support the effective implementation of the countries' safeguards agreements with the IAEA in order to protect the world from the use of nuclear materials in violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Materials.

Lithuania was a member of the IAEA Board of Governors once, in the period of 2007-2009. The Board of Governors is one of the two policy-making bodies of the IAEA, along with the annual General Conference. The Board of Governors consists of 35 Member States. The Board of Governors adopts resolutions, examines and makes recommendations to the General Conference on the IAEA's financial statements, work program and budget, prepares annual reports on the IAEA's activities, and resolves other relevant issues within the organization's competence. Currently, the IAEA unites 181 states.