Saudi Gazette report

VIENNA — Saudi Arabia has won on Thursday a membership in the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for a period of two years 2019-2021. The election was held in the 63rd session of the IAEA General Conference held in Vienna, Austria, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The board is responsible for making most of the policy of the IAEA. It makes recommendations to the General Conference on IAEA activities, financial statements, program and budget.

Dr. Khalid Al-Sultan, chairman of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, headed the Kingdom’s delegation to the current session of the conference that will conclude on Friday.

Dr. Al-Sultan said the victory in the Board election confirms the appreciation of the international community of the Kingdom’s efforts in the field of the IAEA’s work and its role in the field of nuclear security and peaceful uses of atomic energy.

He stressed that the Kingdom’s representation in the board is an important step that reflects the international community’s confidence in the Kingdom and a translation of the global appreciation of the Kingdom’s keenness on its National Atomic Energy Project as a strategic option to achieve a diversified and balanced national energy mix in the medium and long term in order to meet the growing domestic demand for energy.

It is worth mentioning that the Board of Governors is one of the two policy-making bodies of IAEA, along with the annual General Conference of the IAEA member states. The Board appoints the IAEA Director General with the approval of the General Conference.