Topnews, Statements

18. November 2019

STATEMENT DELIVERED BY MS. MONÉ DYE, COUNSELLOR (POLITICAL), AT THE IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE, 18 NOVEMBER 2019

Agenda Item 3: EVALUATION OF TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES

Madam Chair,

My delegation associates itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the G77 and China by the Permanent Representative of Egypt, Ambassador Youssef.

I would like to make the following additional remarks in my national capacity.

Madam Chair,

South Africa fully supports the work of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, which is aimed at strengthening the Agency’s ability to ensure management efficiency and programme effectiveness, as well as to enhance accountability.

We would like to reiterate that in the course of its work, the OIOS, within the resources allocated to it from the Regular Budget, should continue to evaluate all projects in a balanced manner and across all major programmes.

South Africa is pleased to note that the evaluation of the TC activities is reported to be inclusive in nature and closely involves programme stakeholders throughout the process of evaluation. We also share the view of the Secretariat that indeed the evaluation process further facilitates open dialogue on the TC Programme implementation, which ultimately enhances capacity building within the organisation. In this regard, we encourage the Secretariat to continue to apply this approach when conducting future evaluations of the TC Programme.

South Africa also takes note of the Action Plan for 2020, which will focus on the African region and include an increase in the number of Country-Level Evaluation and Audits conducted. We reiterate the importance of receiving further detailed information on the criteria used by the Office of Internal Oversight Services to select Member States, as well as the thematic areas for evaluation.

With regard to the 25 recommendations made, my delegation notes that the Secretariat has accepted them all, including their respective timescales.

South Africa requests that further actions be taken to incorporate a gender equality and gender mainstreaming perspective in the outcomes and indicators of the TC Programme as well as in the evaluation of the Programme. With the above in mind, we therefore welcome the report that the Secretariat is already in the process of working on the implementation of the recommendations made.

With these comments, Madam Chair, South Africa takes note of the Evaluation of Technical Cooperation Activities in 2019, as contained in document GOV/2019/53.

I thank you.

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