STATEMENT DELIVERED BY MS. LYDIA GREYLING, ALTERNATE RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE IAEA, PROGRAMME AND BUDGET COMMITTEE, 4 MAY 2015

Agenda item 3: The 2014 Internal Audit Activity Report and the 2014 Programme Evaluation Report

My delegation associates itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the G77 and China and the African Group and thanks the Secretariat for preparing the documentation under this agenda item and the briefing during the Workshop on Financial and Budgetary Matters.

Chairperson,

South Africa reiterates its support for the Agency’s internal audit activities and welcomes the programme evaluation report, which will assist the Secretariat and Member States to develop a full understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the Agency’s work, but also to assist in developing remedial actions, where required to continuously improve the Agency’s output.

In this context, my delegation recalls the OIOS finding in the 2013 Internal Audit Activity Report regarding the Agency’s implementation of its Risk Register, results based management, effective internal controls and oversight mechanisms. It was suggested that in order to ensure that managers – at all supervisory levels – are clearly accountable and responsible for strategic and programmatic objectives, to increase results achievement of programmes, policies and operations, and to promote further transparency and integrity, the adoption of an accountability policy would be required. We share the concern expressed in the Internal Audit Activity Report, that no accountability policy has been put in place.

As regards the use of third parties in information technology, South Africa shares the view that the Agency needs to ensure that actions and services provided by third parties in the field of IT do not negatively impact on the Agency and supports the recommendation that the whole area of outsourcing IT work and services needs to be adequately regulated.

Chairperson,

As we welcome the OIOS programme evaluations and drafting of recommendations, it is incumbent on the Member States to assess these recommendations before promulgating them through the senior management in the Secretariat. This should be an all-inclusive process conducted with Member States in a transparent manner.

Looking at the recommendations listed in the report, South Africa would offer the following preliminary comments:

South Africa has repeatedly voiced its support for training and educational services provided by the Agency. In particular, my delegation believes that facilitating the Agency’s support of the networks of educational institutes and Nuclear Security Support Centres relating to capacity building for both training and education, and to collate information on the institutes offering a master’s degree in nuclear security could be of value and strengthen the Agency’s activities in this context. South Africa would favour a two-pronged approach in terms of training concepts, approach and materials for nuclear security both for general awareness training and specialized capacity building. My delegation also reiterates its support for the Agency’s capacity building programmes for Member States through e-learning initiatives, which have already proven an appropriate tool for a broader range of countries and would point out the VUCCnet initiative as an example of successful implementation.

With these comments my delegation takes note of the 2014 Internal Audit Activity Report and the 2014 Programme Evaluation Report.

Thank you.

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