Namibia joins atomic agency board

Being a major producer of uranium helps. Last week it was announced that Namibia has been elected to serve on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The 59th Session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which was held in Vienna, Austria, earlier in September endorsed Namibia as candidate to serve on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency from September 2015 to September 2017. Namibia and Ghana filled the two seats available for Africa.
The Board of Governors examines and makes recommendations to the General Conference regarding accounts, programmes and budget, and it considers applications for membership. It also approves safeguard agreements and the publication of IAEA safety standards. Furthermore, it is responsible to appoint the Director General of the IAEA with the approval of the General Conference. The Board of Governors is the subsidiary body of the General Conference.
The IAEA Board for the period of 2015 to 2017 consists of 35 Member States namely Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Latvia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uruguay.
The IAEA is a UN Agency that provides developmental assistance to its Member States through the Country Programme Framework. In September 2014, Namibia signed its Third Country Programme Framework with the IAEA. The Programme seeks to match nuclear technology for sustainable development to national priorities, focusing on agriculture and food security, animal disease, crop production, soil and water management, insect pest control, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, uranium mining, energy planning and skills development.
The objectives of the framework are in conformity with the Pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to which Namibia attaches significant importance, i.e. Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.
As a member of the IAEA Board of Governors, Namibia is in a position to serve the interests of developing countries, in particular to promote peaceful uses of nuclear technology and technical cooperation.