Agenda Item 3: Technical Cooperation Report for 2018
International Atomic Energy Agency
Board of Governors’ Meetings (June 10, 2019)
Agenda Item 3: Technical Cooperation Report for 2018
Statement by the Governor for India
Ambassador Renu Pall
Madam Chair,
We associate ourselves with the statement delivered by the distinguished Ambassador of Egypt on behalf of G-77 and China, and would like to add the following additional remarks in our national capacity.
Madam Chair,
India believes that the Technical Cooperation Programme is central to the mandate of the IAEA in promoting the “contribution of Atomic Energy to Peace, Health and Prosperity throughout the world”. For this core statutory function to be successful, it is important that the Technical Cooperation Programme is adequately resourced. In this regard, the rate of attainment of TCF target in 2018 at 91.4% is welcome. My delegation, however, believes that efforts should continue, to make it even higher as the TC programme is a shared responsibility, and therefore all Member States should fulfil their individual responsibility and contribute to the Technical Cooperation Fund on time and in full to assure its required funding. India consistently pays its contribution in full and on time, and participates as a donor, and also provides considerable technical expertise and support to many projects of the IAEA’s TC Programme.
Madam Chair,
We note with satisfaction various reforms undertaken within the Agency to achieve functional alignment and to improve coordination among various divisions that contribute to cancer control related support to Member States. These actions should lead to achieving one house approach and avoid the duplication of efforts. The Agency’s successes in supporting Member States in addressing their cancer control priorities and needs, through partnerships, outreach and resource mobilization is well recognised. We would like to assure, that India will continue to support the Agency in the fight against cancer, which is becoming a global challenge. In this regard, we would like to inform that India has a well-functioning national grid of more than 100 cancer care centres, staffed with top specialists. With IAEA’s cooperation, India would be ready to extend this network and convert it into a regional or global network, so that cancer care providers from other countries could also access the expertise available in India. In addition, on a bilateral level, India has been supporting many countries in the region and beyond in their fight against cancer.
Madam Chair,
With these comments, we endorse the recommended actions contained in document GOV/2019/16.
Thank You.
