Statement by Ambassador HIKIHARA Takeshi at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting starting on Monday, 7 June 2021, Item 3: Strengthening of the Agency's technical cooperation activities: Technical Cooperation Report for 2020
2021/6/7
Thank you, Madame Chair,
Japan highly appreciates the excellent work of DDG Liu and his team for producing the substantial Technical Cooperation Report, which illustrates well the wide-ranging cooperation among Member States and the Agency.
We welcome the successful provision of PCR testing equipment by the Secretariat to help address the COVID-19 pandemic globally, as well as the valuable contributions by Member States in this regard.
Japan highly values the Agency’s efforts to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear technology in achieving the SDGs. We also continue to strongly support the ZODIAC initiative.
(Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF))
Madame Chair,
We note with satisfaction that the Rate of Attainment for the Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) was above 90% and the Rate of Implementation above 80% in 2020. We highly commend the efforts of the Secretariat in this regard in spite of the difficulties provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The proper management of the Technical Cooperation Fund is a shared responsibility of the Agency and Member States, and we look forward to the Agency’s continued implementation of the Due Account Mechanism.
(NUTEC Plastics)
Marine plastic pollution is one of the largest environmental challenges our world faces. The 2019 G20 Osaka Summit, chaired by Japan, adopted the “Osaka Blue Ocean Vision”, with the goal of “reducing additional pollution by marine plastic litter to zero by 2050”. In this context, The Government of Japan welcomes and fully supports the DG Grossi’s NUTEC Plastics initiative, and extends congratulations to his team for successfully organizing the Roundtable meeting for the Asia and Pacific Region on this issue.
Given the significance of this initiative, I am very pleased to announce today that the Government of Japan is ready to provide one million euros for NUTEC Plastics through the Peaceful Uses Initiative based on concrete project plans to be provided in the future. Japan looks forward to deepening cooperation with the Agency on this vitally important issue for the health of the marine ecosystem.
(Educational Projects)
Madame Chair,
Japan continues to place great importance on education and human resource development in the fields of nuclear science and technology.
Under the project entitled “Educating Secondary Students and Science Teachers on Nuclear Science and Technology”, Japanese experts led by Professor. IIMOTO Takeshi played a central role in achieving the goal of reaching one million students by early 2020. Japan has also supported seven PhD students through the project entitled “Adding the Groundwater Dimension to the Understanding and Management of Shared Water Resources in the Sahel Region”.
(RCA)
Finally, let me reiterate that the RCA, the regional cooperative framework in the Asia Pacific Region, has been playing a significant role in meeting various needs of the region. As the RCA celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, Japan renews its proactive commitment to its activities.
(Conclusion)
With these comments, Japan takes note of the Agency’s Technical Cooperation Report for 2020 contained in GOV/2021/17.
Thank you, Madame Chair.
Japan highly appreciates the excellent work of DDG Liu and his team for producing the substantial Technical Cooperation Report, which illustrates well the wide-ranging cooperation among Member States and the Agency.
We welcome the successful provision of PCR testing equipment by the Secretariat to help address the COVID-19 pandemic globally, as well as the valuable contributions by Member States in this regard.
Japan highly values the Agency’s efforts to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear technology in achieving the SDGs. We also continue to strongly support the ZODIAC initiative.
(Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF))
Madame Chair,
We note with satisfaction that the Rate of Attainment for the Technical Cooperation Fund (TCF) was above 90% and the Rate of Implementation above 80% in 2020. We highly commend the efforts of the Secretariat in this regard in spite of the difficulties provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The proper management of the Technical Cooperation Fund is a shared responsibility of the Agency and Member States, and we look forward to the Agency’s continued implementation of the Due Account Mechanism.
(NUTEC Plastics)
Marine plastic pollution is one of the largest environmental challenges our world faces. The 2019 G20 Osaka Summit, chaired by Japan, adopted the “Osaka Blue Ocean Vision”, with the goal of “reducing additional pollution by marine plastic litter to zero by 2050”. In this context, The Government of Japan welcomes and fully supports the DG Grossi’s NUTEC Plastics initiative, and extends congratulations to his team for successfully organizing the Roundtable meeting for the Asia and Pacific Region on this issue.
Given the significance of this initiative, I am very pleased to announce today that the Government of Japan is ready to provide one million euros for NUTEC Plastics through the Peaceful Uses Initiative based on concrete project plans to be provided in the future. Japan looks forward to deepening cooperation with the Agency on this vitally important issue for the health of the marine ecosystem.
(Educational Projects)
Madame Chair,
Japan continues to place great importance on education and human resource development in the fields of nuclear science and technology.
Under the project entitled “Educating Secondary Students and Science Teachers on Nuclear Science and Technology”, Japanese experts led by Professor. IIMOTO Takeshi played a central role in achieving the goal of reaching one million students by early 2020. Japan has also supported seven PhD students through the project entitled “Adding the Groundwater Dimension to the Understanding and Management of Shared Water Resources in the Sahel Region”.
(RCA)
Finally, let me reiterate that the RCA, the regional cooperative framework in the Asia Pacific Region, has been playing a significant role in meeting various needs of the region. As the RCA celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, Japan renews its proactive commitment to its activities.
(Conclusion)
With these comments, Japan takes note of the Agency’s Technical Cooperation Report for 2020 contained in GOV/2021/17.
Thank you, Madame Chair.