Group of 77 and China statement during the IAEA Board of Governors,
17-18 November 2016, delivered by H.E. Ambassador Simon Madjumo Maruta, Permanent Representative of Namibia
Agenda Item 4: Medium Term Strategy 2018–2023
Mr. Chairman,
1. On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I wish to congratulate Ambassador Bahtihjors Hasans of Latvia for having concluded the proposal to the Board of Governors on the Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) for 2018-2023. The Group appreciates his efforts in chairing the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) in a transparent manner and for taking on board suggestions made during the course of discussions on the MTS.
2. The Group emphasises that the Agency’s Statute as well as the Decisions and Resolutions adopted by its Policy Making Organs provide the framework and ultimate guidance for the Agency’s activities. The Group views the MTS as being a suggested roadmap for the Secretariat’s preparation of the programme and budget planning during the period covered by it.
3. The Group recalls the Agency’s statutory objective to "seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world", and underlines that the IAEA is the only international organization with the technical competence and expertise to fulfill this objective. Considering that the activities under Major Programs 1, 2 and 6 are of paramount importance in fulfilling this statutory mandate, the Group maintains that the activities under these programs should be accorded adequate resources to enable the Agency to respond to the increasing requests of Member States, including in contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
4. The Group believes that measures to strengthen Nuclear Security should not hamper International Cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear activities, nor undermine the established priorities of the Agency’s Technical Cooperation Programme.
5. The Group notes that the MTS 2018-2023 may be updated if deemed necessary by the Board of Governors before the start of a programme and budget preparation process, adapting to new developments and evolving needs and priorities of Member States.
6. With these comments, the Group takes note of the Medium Term Strategy 2018-2023 presented in the GOV/2016/57.
