Over 2000 participants from 142 countries and 16 organizations gathered in Vienna for the fourth quadrennial International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS) 2024. This high turnout signaled consensus amongst members of the global community that nuclear security is an integral component of the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
This sentiment was echoed in the opening statement of IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi: “Nuclear security was important, is important and will always be important. Nuclear security is not a hindrance to technology access, it is an enabler.”
ICONS 2024 began with a two-day Ministerial segment presided over by the conference Co-Presidents, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, Tim Watts, and Vice-Minister of Energy for Kazakhstan, Sungat Yessimkhanov. The Co-Presidents began the conference by releasing a joint statement in which they committed to sustaining and strengthening “effective and comprehensive nuclear security of all nuclear and other radioactive material and facilities.” More than one hundred statements were then delivered by both Member States and international organizations, each reaffirming their respective commitments to upholding the international nuclear security regime.
The Ministerial segment also featured a plenary panel on the critical role that nuclear security plays in enabling the global pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), along with a high-level panel discussion at Vienna’s Palais Liechtenstein on collaborative approaches to bolstering international nuclear security efforts.
Lydie Evrard, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, opened the scientific and technical portion of ICONS 2024. She underscored the conference’s tagline of “Shaping the Future” by stressing the need to urgently address the threats of tomorrow, stating, “The global community constantly grapples with new and emerging threats, rapid technological advancements, and unforeseen challenges. It is vital that we look ahead and proactively address these challenges in this fast-evolving environment.”
This orientation towards “the future” inspired many discussions during the 52 technical sessions and 45 side events organized throughout the week of the conference. A wide array of topics was covered, ranging from computer security and artificial intelligence to uncrewed systems and small modular reactors (SMRs). Some of the more common themes highlighted across all sessions were the vital importance of international cooperation and collaboration; the critical role of education, training, and diversity of personnel; the need for effective communication strategies for a range of stakeholders; and the pressing demand to develop collective approaches to the challenges posed by emerging technologies.
