Statements

The General Debate concluded this afternoon with statements from countries in Africa, Latin America, and Europe. The General Conference now moves to consider a number of agenda items related to issues of nuclear safety, verification, and technology transfer.

Portugal: The country commended Agency efforts to develop a stronger global safety regime, including safety standards and binding norms, but considers that more needs to be done particularly regarding the problem of illicit nuclear trafficking. Portugal presently is taking steps to ratify its Additional Protocol for strengthened safeguards with the Agency and urged States that have not yet done so to conclude such agreements. It welcomes efforts toward placing fissile materials from military programmes under IAEA verification and hoped for greater progress toward a ban on the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons and explosive devices.

Ethiopia: The country places great priority on nuclear applications in agriculture, including livestock productivity and health, and called upon the IAEA for more support of projects to eradicate the tsetse fly on the continent. In Ethiopia, such a campaign would enable the country to avoid the expense of drugs and insecticide imports. Also of importance are isotope hydrology techniques, which have been used over the past six years to study a major groundwater field that provides 35% of the water supply of Addis Ababa, and to the investigation and management of a geothermal power plant. Through an Agency-supported project, groundwater resources are being assessed and mapped throughout the country, a programme carrying major implications in light of drought conditions Ethiopia faces.

Tanzania: Support was expressed for Agency efforts to strengthen radiation safety and the security of radioactive materials, notably by establishing databases to assist international cooperation for the control illicit trafficking and the dumping of radioactive wastes. The Agency’s technology transfer activities were commended, and practical results are being obtained to improve nuclear medicine services, strengthen radiation protection infrastructures, and control the tsetse fly through eradication campaigns using radiation technology. The country expects to play a leading role in the Pan-African Sterile Insect Technique Forum established by the Organization of African Unity this year, and offers its experience for the benefit of all African countries.

Panama: The country has no nuclear power programme and applies nuclear techniques in various fields. Since the beginning of this year, Panama has carried full responsibility for the safety of the Panama Canal and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of any transport of nuclear or radioactive materials through it. It called upon the Agency to support this commitment through its programmes and services in fields of radiation, transport, and nuclear safety. Panama has benefited from IAEA assistance in medical, agricultural and other fields. A pilot plant for oncology serving all of Central America has been completed in the hospital complex in Panama; and the IAEA has assisted efforts to eradicate the Medfly threatening a high percentage of crops. Progress also has been made in fighting the screwworm which threatens the health of livestock and other animals.