Vietnam, as Chair of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), introduced a Draft Resolution entitled “Report of the IAEA” at a plenary session of the 68 th UN General Assembly in New York on November 5-6.

In his introduction speech, Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, said that the Report manifests the IAEA’s indispensable role in developing and transferring nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes, contributing to the strengthening of the global nuclear safety framework and guarding against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

In 2012, the IAEA’s activities were strengthened in both areas of nuclear technology and nuclear application. IAEA continued to play an important role in providing technical assistance to its member states in pursuit of peaceful uses of nuclear energy, he said.

According to Trung, the IAEA has also played a central role in assisting developing countries, including Vietnam , in improving the research, development and use of energy and nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, contributing to boosting their socio-economic development as well as accelerating the realisation of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Over the past years, Vietnam has always been an active member of the IAEA and made great contributions to this organization. Vietnam ’s election as Chair of the Board of Governors of the IAEA has created favourable conditions for the country to contribute more to the organisation’s objectives.

It has also reflected the country’s consistent policy in promoting the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and guarding against the proliferation of nuclear weapons towards the complete and thorough nuclear disarmament.
On the occasion, Ambassador Trung congratulated Yukiya Amano on his re-appointment as the IAEA Director General for the second four-year term.

Concluding the plenary session, the UN General Assembly adopted the Draft Resolution on the “Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency”. The resolution was built by Vietnam with active support from co-authors from 78 member countries.

Set up in 1957, the IAEA plays a central role in international cooperation in promoting the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, improving people’s living standards, ensuring energy and food security, and protecting the environment.-VNA