VIENNA — The United Arab Emirates was elected to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for the period 2020 to 2022 on Thursday during this year’s annual General Conference of the agency.

For one year, the UAE will work alongside Saudi Arabia as part of the 35-member body of the agency.

The other countries, which have been elected to the Board of Governors, are Argentina, Austria, Egypt, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Senegal, and Switzerland.

For the 2020-2021 period, the new composition of the 35-member IAEA board will be as follows: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States.

The UAE had previously occupied the seat from 2016 to 2018, from 2013 to 2015, and from 2010-2012.

The Board of Governors is one of the main policy-making body of the IAEA, along with the annual General Conference.

The 35-member board examines and makes recommendations to the General Conference on the IAEA's financial statements, program, and budget. It considers applications for membership, approves safeguards agreements, and the publication of the agency's safety standards.

The board also considers ongoing verification reports such as those of Iran’s and North Korea‘s compliance.

The board generally meets five times per year, in March and June, twice in September and in November.

"The election of the UAE on IAEA's Board of Governors underscores the confidence of the international community in the active role of the UAE in the international nuclear policy-making process," said Hamad Al Kaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the IAEA, commenting on the milestone.

''The move also underlines the global appreciation for the UAE's successful efforts and its responsible approach towards the development of a peaceful nuclear energy program,'' he added.

With the recent startup of the first nuclear power reactor, UAE has progressed well in the development of its national peaceful nuclear energy program in a responsible manner. Throughout the development of its nuclear power program, the UAE ensured full compliance and adherence to the highest standards of safety, security, and non-proliferation.

The UAE is a party to all relevant conventions and agreements in the area of nuclear safety, nuclear security, and safeguards. The UAE has been an active member of the IAEA since 1976 with long-standing policy in support of the agency’s role in promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and facilitating access of peaceful nuclear technology to member states.

The UAE’s participation at the IAEA General Conference this year is marked by the country’s major milestone witnessing the reactor of Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant achieving 50 percent of its electricity production capacity. The UAE is the first Arab country to develop and operate a nuclear power plant. — Agencies