Romania returns to Board of Governors of International Atomic Energy Agency

  Romania becomes a member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for a two-year term, during 2025-2027, after the election on Friday, the last day of the IAEA General Conference.According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), the last presence in this forum was in 2008-2010."Romania actively participated in the General Conference, the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs reflecting our country's commitment to supporting the IAEA's objectives and promoting international cooperation in the nuclear field, for the benefit of the continuous development of civil nuclear projects and global security", the MAE said.According to the cited source, the election of Romania to the Board of Governors is a recognition of the expertise accumulated by Romania in over 60 years of activity in the civil nuclear sector, among the notable achievements in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy being the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant, the Romanian research institutes in the field, as well as innovative investment projects for a sustainable future, such as small modular reactors (SMRs).In this capacity, Romania, through the Permanent Representative to the Vienna Organizations, will actively contribute to the Agency's decision-making process, regarding both the development of the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the strengthening of nuclear security standards, radiological safety and guaranteeing compliance with non-proliferation obligations."I actively promoted this candidacy during the discussions we had earlier this week in Vienna and in my speech at the Agency's General Conference. I congratulate the MAE team that worked for this success. Two intense years lie ahead, the files in this field are complex and have major implications beyond one region or another. For Romania, the nuclear sector represents an area of excellence and development alongside strategic partners. I am confident that we will successfully fulfill this mandate. On specific issues, we will work with the Ministry of Energy and other institutions in the field", declared the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Toiu, quoted in the press release.The Board of Governors, consisting of 35 members, is one of the main governing bodies of the IAEA, with an essential role in the strategic orientation of the Agency's activity, in supervising the implementation of programs and in adopting key decisions regarding international policies in the nuclear field.