Statement for Consultations with the IAEA Chairman of the Board of Governors, delivered by H.E. Ambassador Mahmoud ELAMIN, Permanent Representative of the Sudan on 14 May 2013
Mr. Chairman,
The Group of 77 and China has pronounced its position during previous meetings on the preparation for the Agency's regular programme and budget and TCF Targets for 2014-2015; it has the following to emphasize:
a. The Group remains concerned over the imbalance that exists between the promotional and non-promotional activities of the Agency as reflected in the increases of the proposed regular budget directed towards non-promotional activities.
b. The need for sufficient funding from the Regular Budget for Major Programmes 1, 2, and 6 to respond to the growing needs of developing countries.
c. Meaningful steps to be taken towards making the resources of the Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) Sufficient, Assured, and Predictable (SAP), including an agreement to increase the resources of the TCF in a manner that matches the overall increase in the regular budget.
d. While the Group considers the revised draft programme and budget 2014-2015, the Group requests that in the meantime TCF Target for the next biennium may be established keeping in vie the following:
i. The TCF for each year of the next biennium needs to take into account the increase in regular budget since 2010 and the one proposed for the next biennium.
ii. Technical Cooperation Fund target to be established for 2014 and beyond should not be less than US$90 million per year as decided by the Board in 2011.
iii. The Group proposes that the TCF Target for 2015 be established at a level equivalent to the proposed target for 2014 plus the estimated price adjustment for that year;
e. The Group would appreciate receiving a briefing on the revised programme and budget, in particular on the modernization of the Nuclear Application Laboratories at Seibersdorf.
f. The Group reiterates its request for provision of further information on the rationale behind the upgrading the Office of Nuclear Security to a Division and also on moving PACT to the Department of Technical Cooperation.
g. The Group supports the modernization of the Nuclear Application Laboratories at Seibersdorf in this biennium, as envisaged in the General Conference Resolution GC(56)/19/5 and would not support a reduction in funding requirement of the Nuclear Application Laboratories at Seibersdorf.
