At its meetings in June, the IAEA Board of Governors approved agreements -- called Additional Protocols -- with six more countries that authorize the Agency to apply strengthened safeguards measures for verification of nuclear programmes. They are South Africa, Kuwait, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Tajikistan. Also in June, the Board approved a comprehensive safeguards agreement between the IAEA and Tajikistan. Additionally, Niger signed a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA which the Board had approved in March.
To date, the Board has approved Additional Protocols with 68 States. Sixty-two States have signed the Protocols and 25 States have them in force.
Later this month, an IAEA regional seminar is taking place in South Africa on the role of international safeguards for verifying the peaceful nature of nuclear programmes. Participation is open to all African States, with financial support being provided by Japan. Scheduled 24-27 June in Johannesburg, the seminar is organized in cooperation with South Africa and with the support of the United Nations Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa.
In briefing the June Board, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said he was encouraged by the considerable interest that African States have shown in the regional seminar.