International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

A. Background

The mandate of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is “to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world”. The IAEA’s technical cooperation (TC) programme is the main mechanism through which the IAEA delivers assistance to Member States. The objective of the TC programme is to promote tangible socio economic impact in areas where the peaceful application of nuclear technology holds a comparative advantage, including in human health, food and agriculture, water and the environment, industrial applications and energy. The TC programme is tailored to meet the specific needs of Member States, including those of least developed countries, and responds to the evolving needs and priorities of Member States through capacity building, transfer of nuclear technology, and the sharing of knowledge among Member States. The programme contributes directly in a cost-effective manner to the achievement of the major sustainable development priorities of each country. The TC programme seeks to promote sustainability and self-reliance, and has an important strategic role to play in addressing the multi-sectoral and interrelated developmental needs of Member States through the application of nuclear science and technology.

The IAEA continues to assist Member States in strategic planning and supports their efforts to integrate relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their Country Programme Frameworks. This requires sharing a common vision on the future role of the TC programme, and building global partnerships with other United Nations (UN) system organizations and development agencies.

The year 2017 will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the IAEA. The International Conference on the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme: Sixty Years and Beyond — Contributing to Development provides an ideal opportunity to take stock of what has been achieved through the TC programme and to demonstrate how the programme can best contribute to the development and attainment of the SDGs in Member States.

The conference is an occasion for Member States and other partners to explore collectively innovative means to further develop partnerships with other UN system and regional organizations, financial institutions, non-traditional donors and the private sector, in order to enhance delivery of the TC programme.

B. Objectives

The conference will have the following objectives:

• To highlight the achievements of the TC programme in supporting Member States over the last six decades in meeting their developmental priorities through the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology.
• To raise awareness of the TC programme’s role in, and contributions to, the achievement of the SDGs.
• To strengthen partnerships with Member States, UN system and regional organizations, financial institutions and non-traditional donors and the private sector, for enhancing TC programme delivery.
• To explore innovative approaches to further improve, strengthen and ensure the impact and sustainability of the TC programme.

C. Expected Outcomes

The expected outcomes of the conference are:

• Increased awareness of the contribution made by the IAEA’s TC programme to socio-economic development in Member States over the last six decades.
• Improved understanding of how the TC programme can support Member States in addressing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Enhanced partnerships for future activities under the TC programme.
• A common vision on innovative means and approaches to ensure a strengthened and sustainable TC programme.

D. Programme Structure and Topics

The conference programme will consist of topical sessions where invited keynote speakers from Member States and partner organizations will present the evolvement of the TC programme since its early days on the basis of their national and regional experiences, as well as the role of the TC programme in sustainable development. In addition, the conference will bring together development partners in a panel session to discuss future partnership opportunities.

A high level concluding panel discussion will debate on the way forward for the TC programme.

An exhibition and various side events will be held on the margins of the conference presenting the achievements made in the 60 years that the IAEA has worked with its Member States through the TC programme.

The following topics have been identified as subjects for the individual conference sessions:

• Evolution of the IAEA’s TC programme.
• Partnerships: working with the UN family and other relevant international organizations.
• Regional cooperation.
• Addressing development challenges through the TC programme.
• Contributing towards achievement of the SDGs.
• Future perspectives.

E. Target Audience

The conference will bring together high level decision-makers and policy formulators, technical experts at the senior management level, representatives from academia, industry, bilateral aid agencies and foundations, as well as UN system partners and other multilateral entities, including regional development agencies, development banks, the private sector and specialized media.

F. Participation and Registration

All persons wishing to participate in the conference are requested to register online in advance through the conference web page (see Section N). In addition, they must send a completed:

• Participation Form (Form A),
• Grant Application Form (Form C) (if applicable), as soon as possible to a competent official authority:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
- Permanent Mission to the IAEA, or
- National Liaison Officer,

or to one of the organizations invited to participate,

for subsequent transmission to the IAEA, via email to: Official.Mail@iaea.org.

A participant will be accepted only if the Participation Form is transmitted through the government of a Member State of the IAEA or by an organization invited to participate.

Participants whose official designations have been received by the IAEA will receive further information on the conference at least three months before the start of the conference. This information will also be made available on the conference web page (see Section N).

G. Expenditures and Grants

No registration fee will be charged to participants.

The IAEA is generally not in a position to bear the travel and other costs of participants in the conference. The IAEA has, however, limited funds at its disposal to help meet the cost of attendance of certain participants. Such assistance may be offered upon specific request, normally to one participant per country. If governments wish to apply for a grant on behalf of one of their participants, they should address specific requests to the IAEA to this effect. Governments should ensure that applications for grants are:

1. Submitted by 1 November 2016;
2. Accompanied by a duly completed Grant Application Form (Form C) signed and stamped by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the National Liaison Officer;
3. Accompanied by a completed Participation Form (Form A).

Applications that do not comply with the above conditions cannot be considered.

Approved grants will be issued in the form of a lump sum payment that usually covers only part of the cost of attendance.

H. Distribution of Documents

A preliminary programme of the conference will be made available on the conference web page (see Section N) before the start of the conference. The final programme will be available free of charge upon registration at the conference.

I. Working Language

The working languages of the conference will be all the official IAEA languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

J. Venue and Accommodation

The conference will be held at the IAEA’s Headquarters in Vienna, Austria. Participants must make their own travel and accommodation arrangements. Hotels which are offering a reduced rate for conference participants will be listed on the conference web page (see Section N). Please note that the IAEA is not in a position to assist participants with hotel bookings, nor can the IAEA assume responsibility for paying cancellation fees or for re-bookings and no shows.

Detailed information on accommodation and other administrative details will be made available on the conference web page as soon as possible.

K. Exhibits

A limited amount of space will be available for exhibits during the conference. Interested Member States should contact the Scientific Secretariat by email before 1 November 2016.

L. Visas

Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria at least eight weeks before they travel to Austria. Designated participants will be required to submit a letter of invitation in support of their visa application.

M. Conference Secretariat

General postal address and contact details of the IAEA:
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre
PO Box 100
1400 VIENNA
AUSTRIA
Ref.: IAEA-CN-257
Tel.: +43 1 2600 0
Fax: +43 1 2600 7
Email: Official.Mail@iaea.org

Programme:

Ms Najat Mokhtar
Director
Division for Asia and the Pacific
Department of Technical Cooperation
Tel.: +43 1 2600 22421
Email: Atoms4Dev2017@iaea.org

Administration and Coordination:

Ms Ana C. Raffo-Caiado
Director
Division of Programme Support and Coordination
Department of Technical Cooperation
Tel.: +43 1 2600 22500
Email: Atoms4Dev2017@iaea.org

Registration, grant applications and administrative matters:

Ms Martina Khaelss
Conference Services Section
Division of Conference and Document Services
Department of Management
Tel.: +43 1 2600 21315
Email: M.Khaelss@iaea.org


N. Conference Web Page

The IAEA web page for the conference is as follows:

http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameetings/52858/International-Conference-on-the-IAEA-Technical-Cooperation-Programme-Sixty-Years-and-Beyond-Contributing-to-Development

It will be updated regularly with new information, and participants are encouraged to check it on a regular basis.