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10. Juni 2021

STATEMENT DELIVERED BY MS MONÉ DYE, COUNSELLOR, PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, AT THE IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS, 10 JUNE 2021, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

AGENDA ITEM 8: PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE 65TH REGULAR SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE (2021)

Madame Chairperson

South Africa aligned itself with the statement delivered by the African Group and wish to add a few comments and we also recall the statement delivered by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan on behalf of some states.

The reform of the IAEA and the entry into force of the amendment of  Art 6 should be a priority of all Member States. The reform, expansion and composition of the BoG, to make it more representative, is essential and long outstanding.  We call on those that have not yet done so to ratify the revised Art 6 without further delay.  

A related matter is the composition of regional groups to ensure that all Member States belong somewhere and can, through regional groups, serve on important bodies of this organisation, including the BoG. This matter has been under discussion and unresolved since the 1990s.

South Africa therefore supports the call made by the Member States from Central Asia and Palau, for the current division of regional groups that exclude a significant number of Member States from participation in the Policy Making Organs of the IAEA to be addressed with urgency. It is unacceptable that a significant portion of our number are excluded form the most important aspects of our work due to an arbitrary designation of regions.

We reiterate that all States, based on the principle of sovereign equality, have the inherent right to stand for election for important leadership positions in all international organisations, the IAEA should not be an exception to that rule. We therefore stand ready to support any process identified to resolve this matter urgently, and we support the inclusion of this supplementary item on the Agenda of the 65th Regular Session of the General Conference.

In conclusion Madam  Chair, we want to pose a question to all of us here in the room: is it not important that a living organisation like ours, one that is central to international peace and security as well as our socio-economic development, keeps up with a changing world? And if so how long must it take for it adapt? And surely, we must all agree that this glacial pace of reform is not good enough.

I thank you

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