Statement by the G-77 and China during the Second Informal Open-Ended Consultations on the Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Science and Technology, to be delivered by H.E. Ambassador Carlos Játiva, Permanent Representative of Ecuador
Vienna, 16 March 2018
Co-Chairs,
1. The Group of 77 and China wishes to thank you for the draft programme submitted on Govatom on 8 March 2018 and for convening this Second Informal Open-Ended Consultations.
2. The Group recalls that the mandate leading to this Ministerial Conference was first raised and communicated by all Member States through the 2015 GC resolutions and reiterated in the 2016 and 2017 resolutions. These GC resolutions requested the Secretariat to initiate consultations with Member States on the preparation of the 2018 Ministerial Conference on nuclear science, technologies and applications for peaceful uses, and their delivery to Member States through the Agency’s TC programme, while highlighting their future contribution to sustainable development. Thus the Group of 77 and China believes that the process and its substance should be guided in full by the principles and spirit of those resolutions.
3. The Group is confident that the process under the leadership of the Co-Chairs the Ambassador of Costa Rica, H.E. Ms. Pilar Saborio de Rocafort, and the Ambassador of Japan, H.E. Mr. Mitsuru Kitano will achieve the outcomes expected. The Group wishes to highlight that this should be a Member States-driven process. The Group welcomes the efforts of the Co-Chairs thus far, and while it is carefully analyzing the draft program circulated on 8 March, the Group considers the Draft Programme to be a step in the right direction. The Group intends to continue reviewing its content with the aim of defining the modalities of the conference in line with the aspirations of Member States.
4. The Group is of the view that this Ministerial Conference should equally emphasize on nuclear science, technologies and applications for peaceful uses (centrally carried out by the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications), as well as their delivery (done through the Department of Technical Cooperation), and therefore expects the joint collaboration of both Departments in organizing the Conference with the assistance of any other relevant departments.
5. The Group considers the Conference as a valuable opportunity to underscore the central role of the Agency to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world in accordance with article II of the statute.
6. On the thematic panels, the Group would like to provide the following preliminary views:
- The thematic panels should address development of nuclear technologies and applications, with a focus on how those technologies are delivered to Member States through the TC programme, particularly best practices and challenges faced in their delivery, and highlight their contribution to sustainable development, including to the attainment of the SDGs.
- The Group welcomes the proposal by the Co-Chairs to conduct a separate panel on the “Challenges and opportunities for the IAEA: the way forward”, while recognizing that this topic could inform discussions in other panels.
- The Group is of the view that the Conference, in any relevant panel, should discuss the Agency’s role in supporting the transfer of technology and capacity-building to developing countries, including through south-south cooperation and especially making use of their built-in capacity.
- The Group is of the view that discussions on the role of Nuclear power applications in meeting energy demands and their corresponding positive impact in mitigating climate change, should be part of the relevant panel.
Co-chairs,
- The Group requests that the aforementioned views be all reflected in the structure and content of the thematic panel discussions of the Conference.
7. Regarding the outcome of the Conference, the Group is ready to consider the adoption of a concrete and consensual outcome document, with the aim of further strengthening the Agency’s role in promoting applications of atomic energy for peaceful uses including through their delivery to Member States through the Agency’s TC programme.
8. On the proposed duration of the conference, the Group recognizes that stretching the proposed duration of the Conference may require different budgetary calculations, yet the Group would like to stress the importance of having a program that allows a smooth transition from one session to another and to ensure that sufficient time is available to address all topics equally and in an effective manner.
9. In conclusion, the Group takes this opportunity to thank the co-Chairs once again for their efforts and would appreciate the consideration of its preliminary abovementioned views. The Group would also like to reiterate its readiness to engage constructively through the Informal Open-Ended Consultations in order to meet the aspirations of Member States for a successful conference.
