The delegation of the Republic of Serbia is taking part in the 64th Annual Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, being held from 21 to 25 September 2020 in Vienna. This year, the Conference will have a modified organization with a limited number of participants and the observance of Austrian health and safety requirements due to COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the Conference will have a modified organization with a limited number of participants and the observance of Austrian health and safety requirements due to COVID-19 pandemic. The delegates representing 171 Member States are expected to take part in this year’s Conference, and the Republic of Guinea and Independent State Of Samoa submitted application for the membership of the Agency.

As a reminder, in its 45th regular session, the General Conference endorsed the application of our country (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at the time), which was awarded with a full membership on 21 October 2001. Following the dissolution of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, the Republic of Serbia, by succession, continued its membership of the Agency.

This year as well, a number of issues in the remit of the Agency will be raised at the Conference, the annual report for the previous year, the programme and the updated budget for the following year will be adopted. In addition, the Conference will also serve to make decisions on the issues between the two sessions that the Board of Governors, Director General or a Member State have submitted.

Exceptionally this year, three reports submitted by the IAEA Director General concerning COVID-19 pandemic will be considered in the Plenary meeting of the Conference. Namely, the report on the assistance the Agency provided for the Member States in their combat with the pandemic, the report on the implementation of nuclear safeguards, that is, the control of nuclear materials and inspection visits during the pandemic, as well as the report on the functioning of nuclear and radiation facilities during the pandemic.