STATEMENT BY MS JASMINE LIM, DELEGATE, PERMANENT MISSION OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS AT THE 79TH UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ON AGENDA ITEM 89, REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, 15 OCTOBER 2024

Thank you, Mr President. 

2 The Agency plays a key role in navigating our rapidly evolving nuclear landscape. It continues to be an indispensable partner for Member States in upholding nuclear safety, security and safeguards globally, while ensuring countries benefit from the peaceful uses of atomic energy. We commend DG Grossi and the Agency’s staff for adroitly navigating the challenging landscape of 2023. We also appreciate the active engagement of Ambassador Vivian Okeke and her team at the IAEA’s Liaison Office in New York.  Singapore’s support for the Agency’s mandate remains steadfast and we are proud to once again co-sponsor the draft resolution “Report of the IAEA”. Allow me to make four brief points.

3 First, the IAEA remains a cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime through its verification of States’ compliance with their safeguards obligations. Despite the challenging geopolitical environment and the de-designation of its experienced inspectors in 2023, the IAEA continued to work with Iran on its outstanding safeguards issues and JCPOA commitments. Singapore underscores that all NPT States Parties must meet their obligations under their Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements (CSA) and the Additional Protocol (AP), regardless of the status of extraneous agreements. We also call on Non-Nuclear Weapon States that have yet to conclude a CSA or AP to do so without delay, so that the Agency can provide the usual assurances of the peaceful nature of their nuclear programmes. 

4 Second, the IAEA has done commendable work in 2023 supporting Member States’ efforts to strengthen nuclear safety and security globally. Singapore participated in the Joint Eighth and Ninth Review Meeting of Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety last March. We also continued to engage actively in the discussions of the IAEA’s Safety Standards Committees, including in the Emergency Preparedness and Response Standards Committee, to ensure that the IAEA standards documents reflect high international standards for the peaceful use of nuclear and radiation applications. We continue to work closely with the IAEA in the implementation of our Country Programme framework for 2021 to 2025. 

5 Third, Singapore commends the IAEA for their work and dedication in ensuring nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict, despite the risk posed to their staff. We remain deeply concerned by the Agency’s assessment that the situation remains precarious at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), where all of the DG’s seven indispensable pillars have been compromised either fully or partially. We reiterate the importance of upholding both the seven pillars, as well as the five concrete principles elaborated by the DG in May 2023, at not only the ZNPP, but at all nuclear power plants in Russia and Ukraine. These risks underscore the urgency of finding a peaceful solution to the conflict. We urge all parties to work towards the immediate cessation of military action, and a return to diplomacy for a peaceful settlement of the dispute in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.

6 Fourth, Singapore will always support the inalienable right of all States to peaceful nuclear technology under Article IV of the NPT. As a longstanding supporter of the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme (TCP), Singapore views the TCP as indispensable to supporting developing Member States, in particular Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, in leveraging nuclear science and technology in attaining the SDGs. In that regard, the DG’s flagship initiatives – Rays of Hope, NUTEC Plastics and ZODIAC, among others – deserve special mention, and we commend the IAEA for launching the Atoms4Food initiative in 2023, which will assist Member States in boosting food security and tackling growing hunger. We are proud that the National University of Singapore’s Centre of Ion Beam Applications was designated as the first IAEA Collaborating Centre in Singapore in 2023, and we hope to do more with the IAEA moving forward. 

Mr President,
              
7 Singapore sought to be a principled and constructive member during our term on the IAEA Board of Governors from 2022 to 2024. We will continue to contribute meaningfully as a non-Board member, and we stand ready to work with the IAEA and all Member States to ensure that the Agency is able to effectively discharge its worthy mandate.

Thank you, Mr President.

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