U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Vienna
Vienna, Austria
November 10, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
United States announces $50 million commitment to IAEA’s Peaceful Uses Initiative
U.S. Ambassador to International Organizations in Vienna Jackie Wolcott announced on Monday, November 9 that the United States will provide $50 million in voluntary contributions to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) through 2024, to support the IAEA’s Peaceful Uses Initiative (PUI).
The announcement was made during a livestreamed webinar hosted by the IAEA. The webinar marked the 10th anniversary of the PUI, which was launched at the 2010 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) with the support of the United States. In 2010, the United States made a five-year pledge for an initial $50 million toward the implementation of peaceful uses projects under the PUI.
Building on the demonstrated value of prior projects and recognizing the continued need for cooperation, the United States pledged another $50 million to the PUI at the next NPT Review Conference in 2015. To date, U.S. contributions to the IAEA’s PUI total more than $117 million.
United States contributions to the IAEA under the PUI support projects in the areas of human health, food security, nuclear power infrastructure, nuclear safety and security, environmental protection, and management of water resources. In 2020 alone, U.S. contributions to the PUI have funded projects that save lives and improve the quality of life for people in Algeria, Guatemala, Libya, Mexico, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and across the world through IAEA regional projects. To date, the PUI has supported nearly 200 IAEA projects that benefit people in more than 151 IAEA Member States.
In her remarks, Ambassador Wolcott highlighted the U.S. commitment to the NPT as the impetus behind U.S. support for the PUI: “U.S. support to IAEA activities through the PUI is a demonstration of our commitment to Article IV of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which recognizes the inalienable right of NPT Parties to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in conformity with their non-proliferation obligations under the Treaty. Article IV also provides for international cooperation to enable states to enjoy the benefits of the peaceful uses of the atom.”
The United States continues to support the PUI because of the large demand for peaceful uses cooperation and assistance from IAEA Member States, and the efficiency and flexibility provided by the PUI mechanism. Ambassador Wolcott noted that the PUI mechanism allows for a quick response “to the shifting priorities of Member States as well as to unexpected needs or unforeseen emergency events, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other disease outbreaks.”
More information on U.S. support for the PUI, including video content and Ambassador Wolcott’s full remarks at the IAEA’s virtual panel discussion can be found here: https://vienna.usmission.gov/10-years-pui/
More information on the IAEA’s PUI project is available here: https://www.iaea.org/services/key-programmes/peaceful-uses-initiative
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Please direct any inquiries to UNVIEpress@state.gov.
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