Board of Governors International Atomic Energy Agency - EU Statement on Agenda item 2: Programme Performance Report 2024-2025

Chair, 

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine align themselves with this statement. 

The EU and its Member States thank the Secretariat for the comprehensive and informative Programme Performance Report. Preparing this document is a key part of Results-Based Management and an important tool for systematic learning across the Secretariat and for accountability towards Member States. 

We appreciate that the great majority – 95 % - of performance indicator targets were met, and that the Regular Budget implementation rate was 99.9%. This bears witness to the Secretariat’s adaptability and focus on achieving the implementation of its mandate. In particular, we welcome the Secretariat’s consolidation of common approaches across the Agency and enhanced cooperation across departments and its work to expand its partnership base. These, along with other measures detailed in the report, are crucial to deliver on targets in an effective and efficient manner.

At the same time, we recognise that the Agency is operating under severe resource constraints. We appreciate all the work done to achieve more with less, through measures in areas such as the use of consultants, procurement and travel. We recognise, however, that after several years of zero nominal growth budgets, there are limits to this approach. If resources continue to be as restrained as is currently the case, prioritization efforts between the programmes will be required, as we cannot expect the Agency to be able to guarantee the same results to be achieved, both in terms of quantity and quality. Equally, we cannot but be concerned that cost reductions are managed through higher vacancy rates. Member States rely on a fully staffed IAEA to meet increasing demands.

Chair

The very high implementation rate achieved further underlines the need for Member States to ensure the financial liquidity of the Secretariat by paying their assessed contributions in full and on time. The Agency will not be able to fulfil its tasks without the necessary resources, and the EU calls on all Member States to live up to their obligations in this regard.

Chair

Let me take this opportunity to underline our continued support for gender mainstreaming and gender equality in the Agency’s activities, in line with SDG 5. We attach strong importance to the Agency’s work to support the ability of all individuals, regardless of gender, to equally contribute to and benefit from its programmes and activities. We highlight in this regard the substantial contributions of the EU and its Member States to the Agency's valuable work in this area.

Chair, 

In view of the time limit, we will comment on the programmatic elements of the work of the Agency under the individual agenda items.

Thank you, Chair.