Two Countries Join Multilateral Treaties in Nuclear Safety and Security

Angola's Ambassador to Austria, Croatia and Slovenia and Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, deposited an instrument of accession to the Convention on Nuclear Safety and an instrument of accession to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and of ratification of its Amendment.

"With this event, Angola reinforced its commitment to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," said Ambassador Coelho. "It is good for us to take these opportunities that the Agency gives to our country and other State parties."

Mr Grossi said: “Nuclear science and technology has a lot to contribute to Angola’s development. With these instruments in place, you are going to be walking on safer grounds.”

The Convention on Nuclear Safety, adopted in 1994, commits Contracting Parties operating land-based civil nuclear power plants to maintain a high level of safety by establishing fundamental safety principles to which Contracting Parties subscribe. It obliges Parties to submit reports on the implementation of their obligations for “peer review” at meetings that are normally held at IAEA Headquarters. Following Angola’s accession, the Convention has now 89 parties.

In addition, following Angola’s treaty actions, the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) has now 162 Parties, 125 of which, including Angola, are also party to its Amendment. The CPPNM focuses on the physical protection of nuclear material used for peaceful purposes during international transport. In 2005, the State Parties to the Convention adopted the Amendment to CPPNM to widen its scope to also include physical protection requirements for nuclear facilities and nuclear material in domestic use, storage and transport. Along with expanding the existing offences identified in the CPPNM and introducing new ones, the Amendment, which entered into force in 2016, also provides for expanded cooperation and information sharing between States to locate and recover stolen material and in the case of sabotage.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Ambassador to Austria and several countries in the region and Resident Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, Roger Albéric Kacou, deposited instruments of ratification of the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and of the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. The Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident, which was adopted in 1986 following the Chernobyl nuclear plant accident, strengthens the international response to nuclear accidents by providing a notification system for rapid information exchange to minimize transboundary radiological consequences. In the event of an accident, the State where the accident occurs must promptly provide States that are or may be physically affected and the Agency with relevant information. Côte d’Ivoire became the 127^th Party to the Convention.

The Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency provides a mutual assistance mechanism to minimize the consequences of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency and to protect life, property and the environment against the effects of radioactive releases. The Convention, which was also adopted in 1986, sets out an international framework for cooperation among State Parties, with the IAEA facilitating prompt assistance and support. It requires States to notify the IAEA of their available experts, equipment and materials for providing assistance. In case of a request, each State Party decides whether it can render the requested assistance as well as its scope and terms. With the deposit by Côte d’Ivoire, there are now 122 Parties to the Convention.