At the start of the 69th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna on Monday, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi spoke about the nuclear challenges the world faces and called on States to "recommit" to non-proliferation.
He stressed that their support for the non-proliferation regime, the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), and the IAEA , is crucial.
"I urge Member States to recommit to a system that has been one of the most important foundations for international peace, even during the tensest decades of our generation," he said.
He noted that the conference comes at a time when "acts of terrorism, multiple military conflicts, and the erosion of nuclear norms are all happening against a growing gap between poverty and prosperity."
Mr. Grossi went on to speak about the ways in which the IAEA is working to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and is putting nuclear science to good use, including for cancer treatment, food security, plastic pollution monitoring, disease detection, and artificial intelligence.
Nuclear safety around the world
Earlier this year, Syria agreed to cooperate with the IAEA, and just last week, the agency reached an agreement with Iran to resume the implementation of nuclear safeguards - technical measures used by the IAEA to ensure that if countries make advancements in nuclear technology, they do so for peaceful purposes.
"When the IAEA confirms the peaceful use of a State's nuclear material, confidence over nuclear activities is established," said Mr. Grossi.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, where nuclear power plants are at risk from conflict, the IAEA has sent over 200 missions and is "present on the ground at all the sites."
But more challenges remain. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues its nuclear weapons programme, while even countries abiding by the NPT, the landmark international agreement meant to abolish nuclear weapons, are debating adding them.
"Think for a minute about a world where instead of a few, we would have 20 or 25 countries armed with nuclear weapons," he warned.
Peaceful uses of nuclear science
Three years ago, the IAEA launched its flagship programme, Rays of Hope, becoming a "catalyst for real, substantial progress in cancer care." Through the initiative, concrete actions have been taken in 40 countries: hospitals have been built, radiotherapy machines procured, and physicists trained.
Additionally, the IAEA's joint programme with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), Atoms4Food, is helping boost food security and reduce the environmental strain arising from agriculture.
"In a world of abundance, 700 million people should not have to go to bed hungry every night," he said.
Mr. Grossi highlighted more ways in which the agency is benefiting the people and the planet, including through its initiative supporting many countries in addressing plastic pollution and waste, and another on improving global preparedness for diseases.
An optimistic outlook
With powerful tools like artificial intelligence and machine learning, "the future is too exciting to miss."
Nuclear energy can power artificial intelligence infrastructure, while artificial intelligence can improve nuclear technology. To further explore this mutually beneficial relationship, the IAEA will organise the first ever symposium dedicated to the topic in December this year.
Fusion energy, which has been progressing thanks to public and private capital, is another technological development soon expected to take off.
"Every challenge is an opportunity," concluded Mr. Grossi. "Peace is not simply the absence of conflict. It is dynamic, hopeful striving that I see in what we do all around the world."
The 69th IAEA General Conference will take place from 15-19 September in Vienna, Austria, where over 3,000 participants are registered to attend.
