IAEA General Conference kicks off with opening remarks from DG Grossi

When the International Atomic Energy Agency held its first General Conference in 1956, the global organization had only 56 member states. As of its 70th General Conference this week, the number is up to 182. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi was quick to mention this updated count during an opening statement that kickstarted the five-day event in Vienna, Austria, this morning. He also noted that nearly 4,000 people were expected to attend the General Conference.

Just like at that first conference in 1956, member states today express optimism even as challenges to worldwide nuclear-related goals remain, with success not coming as simply as day follows night, to paraphrase Grossi. His opening statement provided attendees with a glimpse into how the IAEA seeks to advance civilian nuclear technologies-through new nuclear reactors, research, inspections, and more-amid a backdrop of global conflict, rising energy demands, and technological advancements. The remarks also gave him a chance to update attendees on several topics of interest.

"This common spirit of dedication we see at the IAEA. We see it in the cancer experts helping and training oncologists in Africa. We see it in IAEA nuclear safety experts at the front lines of war, trying to avoid a nuclear accident. We see it in the silent work of the safeguards inspectors doing what they have to do. . . . Yes, there are challenges, but I think we can take satisfaction in the fact that this spirit is there," Grossi said in Vienna.

On Syria: Grossi said his visit to Deir ez Zor, Syria, last month helped the IAEA "clarify and resolve" questions it had over safeguards in that country. A building destroyed there in 2007 was likely a nuclear reactor under construction, something Grossi said Syria was required to declare to the IAEA under the NPT Safeguards Agreement.

Grossi thanked Syrian officials for their transparency and cooperation in the matter, and thanked the IAEA team that worked on the ground in Syria.

"We can see how important these instruments can be to move problems from the column of the concerning issues to the column of normalcy and I think we have achieved that-we should be proud of this achievement," he said.

On Iran: On the other hand, the IAEA has now gone roughly six months without conducting any in-field verification activities in Iran, apart from one inspection at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in June. Furthermore, it has been more than a year since they've gathered any information on previously declared inventories of uranium enriched up to 60 percent U-235.

"The agency's lack of information about this nuclear material and access to facilities to verify it is a matter of serious proliferation concern and needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency," Grossi said in the written version of his opening statement, which differed from his opening remarks in Vienna.

"A return to diplomacy and negotiations aimed at finding a solution to issues related to Iran's nuclear program is imperative, and the agency stands ready to support such efforts. The situation regarding Iran's nuclear program has implications for the global nonproliferation regime."

On Ukraine: Grossi and the IAEA recently negotiated a temporary ceasefire in and around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia plant that allowed key repairs at the Russian-occupied facility to be carried out. It was the seventh such ceasefire brokered by the IAEA since the war started in 2022. Grossi said Zaporizhzhia has suffered 10 losses of off-site power since June, and the plant has suffered 26 off-site power outages overall since the conflict started.

Since 2022, 185 IAEA staff members have taken part in 287 missions across Ukraine and conducted more than 250 equipment deliveries, valued at approximately €27 million (about $31.2 million), according to Grossi's written opening statement. This work has strengthened radiation monitoring, physical protection, emergency preparedness, and essential safety and security functions at nuclear sites across Ukraine. The organization has also provided medical assistance to nuclear power plant staff and helped in the recovery of the Kherson Oblast area following the 2023 breaching of the Kakhovka dam that led to flooding.

On nuclear power growth: The IAEA projects that nuclear power capacity will grow threefold by 2060, driven by countries both well-versed with and new to nuclear, with opportunities arising in unexpected areas like shipping and the growth of the "digital economy," notably artificial intelligence. Grossi described the relationship between AI and nuclear power as "no longer incidental or optional."

The IAEA now supports 43 countries embarking on nuclear power programs that follow the IAEA's long-term Milestones Approach, with another 20 countries considering it. Further expansion of nuclear power will depend on factors like financing and reactor technology. Grossi said progress is being made on these fronts, such as the World Bank Group lifting its block on financing nuclear energy and partnering with the IAEA, or the establishment of the Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS) program.

"The world is turning with a great sense of optimism to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy," Grossi told the attendees. "We see it in the big countries, in the big users of nuclear energy. But also in the many developing countries that are turning to it because they need it for economic development."

About the conference: The IAEA General Conference runs through September 18. The IAEA is livestreaming much of the conference through its General Conference page. The event includes the IAEA Scientific Forum, September 15-16. This year's forum, "Rays of Hope: Delivering on the Promise of Cancer Care," will focus an initiative that the IAEA launched in 2022. Rays of Hope's objective is to strengthen national cancer care systems through the expansion of diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy, workforce development, research, and innovation.