Overview of IAEA’s 69th General Conference Held in Vienna, Austria

The 69th General Conference (GC) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held from September 15 to 19, 2025, at the Vienna International Centre in Vienna, Austria, to review and approve its budget, discuss issues related to nuclear safety, security, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

• The theme of the 69th GC of IAEA was “Leveraging Science, Technology, and Innovation for Sustainable Development.”

About General Conference of IAEA:

Frequency: The General Conference, the highest policy-making body of IAEA, meets annually, typically in September, with representatives from all member states.

Functions: It Approves the agency’s budget, discusses issues from the Director General (DG), Board of Governors(BoG), or member states, and guides programs and policies while promoting international cooperation in nuclear safety, security, and peaceful energy use.

Highlights of 69th GC of IAEA:

Participation: The event witnessed the participation of over 3,000 registered attendees, including 2,757 representatives from 153 out of 180 IAEA Member States.

India’s Representation: Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), led the Indian delegation.

• During the conference, he delivered India’s National statement, highlighting India’s commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and its Nuclear Energy Mission (NEM), which aims to achieve a nuclear power capacity of 100 Gigawatts (GW) by 2047.

Leadership:

President: On September 15, 2025, Peter Burian, Ambassador of Slovakia to IAEA, was elected the President of the 69th GC. He will oversaw sessions, guiding discussions and resolutions on key nuclear policy matters.

Vice-Chairs: During the GC, Republic of Iran, Argentina, France, Ivory Coast, Mongolia, New Zealand, Poland, and the United States of America(USA), were elected as Vice-Chairs of the Conference, ensuring balanced representation from different countries and regions.

• As Vice Chairs, they assist the President of the Conference, help facilitate discussions and ensure smooth proceedings, represent regional and geopolitical diversity, support the adoption of resolutions and procedural decisions.

Maldives Became the New Member State of IAEA:

New Member State: Maldives became the new member state of the IAEA, following the approval of the 69th GC, bringing the total member states to 181, with an aim to Develop Nuclear and Radiation Medicine, Strengthen Scientific and Technical Cooperation, and Enhance Global Standing in Atomic Energy.

• The Maldives delegation was led by Dr. Salma Rasheed, Maldives’ Permanent Representative to the UN.

Background: In 2024, Maldives applied for IAEA membership. The proposal was first presented to the Parliament of Maldives by its President Dr. Mohammad Mjuizzu and was approved by the legislature.

Board Elections:

New Members: The GC elected 11 countries to serve on the 35-member IAEA BoG for the 2025–2027 term.

• The newly elected Board members are Belgium, Chile, Jordan, Lithuania, Niger, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, and Togo.

Outgoing Members: These countries will replace the outgoing members: Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and the United Kingdom (UK).

Key Resolutions: The GC adopted important resolutions to guide the Agency’s activities, including the 2026–2027 Programme & Budget, Member States’ budget assessments, biennial budgeting, nuclear safety and safeguards in Ukraine, Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) implementation with Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), safeguards in the Middle East, decision-making efficiency, technical cooperation, nuclear science and technology, safeguards effectiveness, and personnel matters, advancing IAEA’s mission of peaceful nuclear use and global safety.

Science Forum: On the sidelines of the GC, the IAEA Science Forum was held from September 16–17, 2025, under the theme “Atoms for Water”, highlighting how nuclear and isotopic technologies can tackle global challenges.

• The forum aimed to showcase innovative nuclear solutions for water management, facilitate knowledge exchange among scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders, and highlight IAEA projects that help countries achieve sustainable water development.

About International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
Director General (DG) – Rafael Mariano Grossi
Headquarters – Vienna, Austria
Established – 1957