Category: IAEA

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

Government leaders, scientists and other experts will convene next week at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Scientific Forum, #ScientificForum, to discuss how the IAEA Rays of Hope initiative is expanding access to life-saving cancer care.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, claiming nearly 10 million lives in 2024. In the same year, 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer — a number projected to reach 35 million annually by 2050, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The Forum will showcase the Rays of Hope initiative’s impact in establishing and strengthening safe, secure and effective medical uses of radiation, expanding access to diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy, advancing research and innovation, and in forming strategic partnerships that mobilize resources for sustainable cancer care worldwide.

The two-day event, Rays of Hope: Delivering on the Promise of Cancer Care, will take place on the margins of the 70th IAEA General Conference. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, together with government leaders, will open the Forum at 09:30 CEST, Tuesday, 15 September, in Board Room D of the C Building of the Vienna International Centre (VIC). Discussions at the Forum will centre around four technical sessions: Role of Radiation Medicine; Strengthening Access to Cancer Care; Establishing Sustainability of Cancer Care through Anchor Centres; and Scientific and Technical Innovation through Research and Development. The event will be live streamed.

The Forum will also feature a photo exhibition near the Coffee Corner on the fourth floor of the C Building, illustrating key achievements of the Rays of Hope initiative since it was launched in 2022.

Journalists interested in interviewing speakers are invited to submit their requests to the IAEA Press Office.

Accreditation

Journalists with permanent credentials to the VIC or journalists who have already obtained accreditation for the IAEA’s General Conference need no additional credentials. 

Journalists without accreditation must send copies of their passport and press ID to the IAEA Press Office by 14:00 CET on Monday, 14 September. 

We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna. 

Please plan your arrival to allow sufficient time to pass through the VIC security check. 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

The 70th Annual Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, #IAEAGC, will convene from 14 to 18 September at the Vienna International Centre (VIC) in Vienna, Austria. The opening session takes place on Monday, 14 September, at 10:00 CEST. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the General Conference with an introductory statement.

High-ranking officials and representatives from IAEA Member States will consider and make decisions on a range of issues pertaining to the work and the budget of the Agency.

The main conference events will take place in the M-Building of the VIC.

All plenary sessions of the General Conference will be livestreamed on the IAEA website in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

The IAEA will provide video footage here and will make photos available on Flickr.

Details of the General Conference, including the provisional agenda, are available on the IAEA website and social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and Weibo).

The Press Room on the M-building’s ground floor will be available as a press working area from 08:30 CEST on 14 September. The livestream of all General Conference plenary sessions will be played in the Press Room throughout the week.

Scientific Forum

This year’s Scientific Forum, organized on the sidelines of the General Conference on 15 and 16 September, is entitled Rays of Hope: Delivering on the Promise of Cancer Care.

The Forum will showcase the transformative role of nuclear science and technology in improving cancer care worldwide. Through the Rays of Hope initiative, it will highlight innovative approaches to expanding access to diagnosis, treatment and capacity building, while fostering partnerships and mobilizing support to ensure that quality cancer care becomes accessible to all who need it. 

IAEA Director General Grossi will open the Scientific Forum with high-level speakers on Tuesday, 15 September, at 09:30 CEST.

The Forum will take place in Board Room D, C-Building, 4th floor. All sessions will be livestreamed.

Accreditation

All journalists – including those with permanent accreditation – are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans to attend the General Conference and Scientific Forum. 

Journalists without permanent accreditation must send copies of their passport and press ID to the IAEA Press Office by 12:00 CEST on Friday, 11 September.

We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna.

Access to the plenary sessions of the General Conference and the Scientific Forum for photographers and video camera operators must be requested in advance.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors will convene its regular September meeting at the Agency’s headquarters at 10:00 CEST on Monday, 7 September, in Board Room C in the Vienna International Centre (VIC). 

Board discussions are expected to include, among others: Programme Performance Report 2024–2025; nuclear and radiation safety; nuclear security; strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications; the conclusion of safeguards agreements and of additional protocols (if any); staff of the Department of Safeguards to be used as Agency inspectors; application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic; implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of the United Nations Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran; nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine; transfer of the nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the NPT; and other matters arising from the sixty-ninth (2025) regular session of the General Conference: Application of IAEA safeguards in the Middle East.

The Board of Governors meeting is closed to the press. 

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the meeting with an introductory statement, which will be released to journalists after delivery and posted on the IAEA website.  

Press Conference 

Director General Grossi is expected to hold a press conference at 12:30 CEST on Monday, 7 September, in the Press Room of the M building. 

A live video stream of the press conference will be available. The IAEA will provide video footage of the press conference and the Director General’s opening statement here and will make photos available on Flickr.  

Photo Opportunity 

There will be a photo opportunity with the IAEA Director General and the Chair of the Board, Ambassador Ian David Grainge Biggs of Australia, before the start of the Board meeting, on 7 September at 10:00 CEST in Board Room C, in the C building in the VIC. 

Press Working Area 

The Press Room of the M building’s ground floor will be available as a press working area, starting from 09:00 CEST on 7 September.

Accreditation

All journalists interested in covering the meeting in person – including those with permanent accreditation – are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans. 

Journalists without permanent accreditation must send copies of their passport and press ID to the IAEA Press Office by 14:00 CEST on Friday, 4 September. 

We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna. 

Please plan your arrival to allow sufficient time to pass through the VIC security check. 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

The International Atomic Energy Agency will launch its Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS) initiative at a two-day event hosted by the Government of the United States of America in Washington, D.C., on 26-27 August, supporting growing interest in the use of nuclear power to help fuel civilian ships and provide offshore energy as the maritime industry seeks to strengthen long-term energy security.

The International High-level Forum on the ATLAS Launch will convene Ministers from IAEA Member States and senior leaders from nuclear and maritime regulators and industries around the world, as well as representatives from international organizations and other relevant stakeholders to formally kick-off the initiative and identify next steps for the safe, secure, and peaceful deployment of civil nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs). 

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will address the opening session on 26 August, at 9:00 EDT (15:00 CEST) together with Chris Wright, United States Secretary of Energy. Director General Grossi and Secretary Wright are also expected to hold a press conference later that day.

The IAEA is launching the ATLAS initiative to support the safe, secure and peaceful deployment of nuclear applications in the maritime domain. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are increasingly being considered as a viable solution for providing high speed maritime transport without frequent refueling, and for electricity generation in coastal and remote locations. 

The ATLAS Launch Event will formally introduce the ATLAS vision, structure and initial work plan. On day one, following the opening remarks, statements will be heard from Ministers and other high-level delegates of the participating IAEA Member States. In the afternoon, a series of panel discussions will cover issues related to the demand and deployment of nuclear technologies at sea, and the role of the ATLAS initiative. 

On day two, a high-level tour of the NS Savannah, the first nuclear powered merchant ship, will take place at the Port of Baltimore, Maryland. At the same time, event participants will continue discussions on the proposed activities of ATLAS Project Groups over the next years. 

For the full programme of the ATLAS Launch Event, please see here. 

Media are invited to attend all sessions on Wednesday, 26 August (Day 1) of the ATLAS Launch Event. See Accreditation Section below to indicate your interest to attend in person. 

All sessions on Wednesday, 26 August (Day 1) will be livestreamed on the IAEA website.  The IAEA will provide b-roll here and photos will be made available on Flickr. 

Venue

The ATLAS Launch Event will take place in the Presidential Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Washington, D.C.; ballroom entrance on 11th Street.

Press Opportunities

Director General Grossi and Secretary Wright are expected to hold a press conference at 12:30 EDT on Wednesday, 26 August, in the Washington and Roosevelt Rooms of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. 

A live video stream of the press conference will be available on the IAEA website. The IAEA will provide b-roll of the press conference here and will make photos available on Flickr.

Press Working Area 

The Washington and Roosevelt Rooms will be available as a press working area, from 08:00-14:00 on Wednesday, 26 August.

Accreditation

All media representatives wishing to attend the ATLAS Launch Event should contact the U.S. at ATLASMedia@doe.gov. Badges will be provided at press check-in.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors will convene its regular June meeting at the Agency’s headquarters at 10:00 CEST on Monday, 8 June, in Board Room C, Building C, 4th floor, in the Vienna International Centre (VIC). 

Board discussions are expected to include, among others: Annual Report for 2025; strengthening of the Agency’s technical cooperation activities: Technical Cooperation Report for 2025; Report of the Programme and Budget Committee; Safeguards Implementation Report for 2025; application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic; implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of the United Nations Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran; nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine; transfer of the nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the NPT; designation of members to serve on the Board in 2026–2027; and representation of other organizations at the seventieth (2026) regular session of the General Conference.

The Board of Governors meeting is closed to the press. 

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the meeting with an introductory statement, which will be released to journalists after delivery and posted on the IAEA website.  

Press Conference 

Director General Grossi is expected to hold a press conference at 12:30 CEST on Monday, 8 June, in the Press Room of the M building. 

A live video stream of the press conference will be available. The IAEA will provide video footage of the press conference and the Director General’s opening statement here and will make photos available on Flickr.  

Photo Opportunity 

There will be a photo opportunity with the IAEA Director General and the Chair of the Board, Ambassador Ian David Grainge Biggs of Australia, before the start of the Board meeting, on 8 June at 10:00 CEST in Board Room C, in the C building in the VIC. 

Press Working Area 

The Press Room of the M building’s ground floor will be available as a press working area, starting from 09:00 CEST on 8 June.

Accreditation

All journalists interested in covering the meeting in person – including those with permanent accreditation – are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans. Journalists without permanent accreditation must send copies of their passport and press ID to the IAEA Press Office by 14:00 CEST on Friday, 5 June. 

We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna. 

Please plan your arrival to allow sufficient time to pass through the VIC security check. 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

The IAEA Board of Governors will convene a meeting at the Agency’s headquarters starting at 10:00 CEST on Friday, 5 June, in Board Room C in the Vienna International Centre (VIC).

The meeting is convened by the Chair of the Board following a request from the Governors of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to convene  an “urgent session of the Board of Governors … following the attack on the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates that has threatened nuclear safety in the UAE.”

The Board of Governors meeting is closed to the press.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the meeting with an introductory statement, which will be released to journalists after delivery and posted on the IAEA website.  

The IAEA will provide video footage of the Director General’s opening statement here and will make photos available on Flickr.  

Photo Opportunity 

There will be a photo opportunity with the IAEA Director General and the Chair of the Board, Ambassador Ian David Grainge Biggs of Australia, before the start of the Board meeting, on 5 June at 10:00 CEST in Board Room C, Building C, 4th floor, in the VIC.  

Accreditation:

Journalists are requested to register with the Press Office by 16:00 CEST on Thursday, 4 June. Please email press@iaea.org.

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Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

Poaching remains one of the greatest threats to rhinos — a powerful symbol of our planet’s biodiversity. In South Africa, scientists are addressing this challenge with an innovative approach: using safe radioactive isotopes as invisible markers in rhino horns, enabling authorities to detect and trace them at borders.
 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) temporarily lost all off-site power twice this week after its last remaining off-site power line was disconnected.

“The repeated losses of external power once again highlight the vulnerability of the ZNPP amid the ongoing conflict and the persistent risks to nuclear safety and security,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. “Both Ukraine and the Russian Federation continue to engage constructively with the IAEA in negotiations for a temporary ceasefire so that repair work can begin to restore the main off-site power line as soon as conditions allow.” The main off-site 750 kV Dniprovska power line has been disconnected since 24 March 2026. 

On Thursday evening, the ZNPP lost all off-site power for the 14th time since the military conflict began over four years ago in February 2022. The 330 kV Ferosplavna-1 backup power line was temporarily disconnected, and the ZNPP’s emergency diesel generators immediately started and supplied the power needed to maintain essential nuclear safety and security functions during the external power outage. 

Two days prior, in the early hours of Tuesday, 14 April, the same Ferosplavna-1 backup power line was disconnected for approximately 90 minutes, during which time the plant also relied on the emergency diesel generators to maintain nuclear safety and security functions during the outage. 

“The repeated reliance on emergency diesel generators underscores how precarious the situation remains,” Director General Grossi added.

Following the Tuesday incident, the ZNPP informed the IAEA that the disconnection was caused by a problem with the interconnection power line that was sending power between the 330 kV open switchyard at the Zaporizhzhya Thermal Power Plant to the autotransformer located in the ZNPP’s 750 kV open switchyard, through which backup power was being provided to the site. The ZNPP reported observing instability in the electrical grid before the disconnection. This correlates with information the IAEA received from Ukraine’s electrical grid operator about attacks on the electrical grid that caused a local voltage drop in the transmission system around the time of the disconnection. 

The IAEA team at the plant continues to monitor the situation and is awaiting the results from the ZNPP’s investigation into both events.

Meanwhile, the IAEA is continuing consultations to establish a temporary localized ceasefire to enable repairs on the Dniprovska power line. The location of the damages, situated across the Dnipro River on the frontline, makes both the negotiations and repair efforts more challenging than the previous five temporary localized ceasefires negotiated by the IAEA, Director General Grossi said.

Over the past week, the IAEA delivered power supply units and generators to the State Enterprise USIE Izotop, which is responsible for the management of radioactive material intended for medical, industrial and other purposes. Two universal mass decontamination systems were also delivered to the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant. These deliveries were made possible with funds from the European Union.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

The first event focused on the IAEA safety standards on public communication in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency. It was developed by IAEA officials and experts with extensive knowledge and hands-on experience in emergency public communication. This workshop, held from 2 to 6 March, aimed to strengthen participants’ ability to plan, organize and implement public communication arrangements across preparedness, response and recovery. It combined expert lectures, practical exercises and field visits, including visits to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and the Fukushima Prefectural Environmental Creation Centre’s communication building. 

Participants from twelve countries (Georgia, Ghana, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nigeria, Poland, Serbia, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) developed practical skills such as message development, audience analysis and selecting and using appropriate communication channels, including social media, to disseminate factual information in the event of an emergency. 

Participants also explored how to build effective coordination among technical, operational and public information functions at both the national and international levels They also discussed challenges related to misinformation and disinformation during emergencies and took part in a scenario-based tabletop exercise conducted on a social media simulation platform to practise their new skills. 

“This workshop will have a lasting impact on how we prepare for nuclear emergency communication, giving us concrete lessons and tools to take back to our institutions’” said Tetiana Verbytska, Chief of Strategic Communications at Ukraine’s State Scientific and Technical Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety. “We are grateful to Japan for openly sharing its experience — including access to the Fukushima Daiichi site — and for showing that transparency and public communication are essential to effective preparedness.”