H.E. Ambassador Lourdes O. Yparraguirre delivers the Philippine's Statement during the

IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safetyheld on 20-24 June 2011.

The Philippines called for the strengthening of global nuclear safety, particularly in light of the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, during the IAEA Ministerial Conference held on 20 to 24 June 2011 in Vienna, Austria.

Delivering the Philippines' national statement, H.E. Ambassador Lourdes O. Yparraguirre, Philippine Resident Representative to the IAEA, said that while the Philippines currently does not have an operating nuclear power plant, it is surrounded by countries that have existing or are embarking on nuclear power programs.

"As shown by the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear accidents, we cannot be complacent about nuclear safety. A single nuclear incident or accident may have tremendous global or regional consequences not just to people, property and the environment, but also to the future of nuclear energy", said Ambassador Yparraguirre.

The Conference was convened by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in the aftermath of the nuclear accident that took place at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan on 11 March 2011 caused by a devastating earthquake and tsunami of unprecedented severity and which was reminiscent of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. The Conference, which was presided over by H.E. Ambassador Antonio Guerreiro of Brazil, was aimed at providing an opportunity to make an initial assessment of the Fukushima accident, considering lessons that need to be learned and helping launch a process to strengthen

global nuclear safety and the response to nuclear accidents and emergencies.

Ambassador Yparraguirre stressed the unique and central role played by the IAEA in promoting international cooperation in nuclear safety and identified eight specific areas that should be incorporated in the draft Action Plan to be prepared by the Director General for consideration of the IAEA's policy-making organs in September this year, namely:

1. The abilities of the International Seismic Safety Center to provide assistance to Member States in external hazard assessment, site selection and site evaluation, as well as in developing relevant IAEA Safety Standards, should be strengthened.
2. States that are embarking on nuclear power programs should commit to create an appropriate nuclear safety infrastructure based on the IAEA Safety Standards and guidance. Likewise, States that have existing nuclear power programs must adhere to IAEA Safety Standards, and must have action plans relating to emergency preparedness and disaster management in case of a nuclear accident.
3. The IAEA should review the health and safety inspection mandate of the Agency under Article XII of its Statute.
4. The IAEA should continue to conduct education and training programs and to pursue its regional approach to capacity building through the creation of networks of national capacity building centers.
5. Knowledge networks and regional cooperation in the area of nuclear safety should be further enhanced.
6. The global framework for emergency preparedness and response needs to be revisited, particularly the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency.
7. Measures need to be taken to improve the quality, nature and timeliness of information that are provided through the Incident and Emergency Centre.
8. Member States should enhance their political and financial support for the IAEA, particularly as more countries are turning to the Agency for assistance in the development of their national infrastructures for expanding or launching nuclear power programs.

(The full text of the Philippine statement can be accessed here.

[http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/PDFplus/2011/cn200/plenary/p_d2_philippines.pdf])

The Philippines also played a leadership role in the Conference, with Dr. Alumanda dela Rosa, Director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, chairing the second working session on Emergency Preparedness and Response. Dr. dela Rosa, along with the Chairpersons of the two other working sessions, namely Mr. Mike Weightman, Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations, Office for Nuclear Regulation, United Kingdom, and Mr. Richard Meserve of the US, incumbent Chairperson of the International Nuclear Safety Group, presented their summaries to the plenary during the closing of the Conference on Friday. The summaries will serve as the basis for the Action Plan for the strengthening of global nuclear safety to be agreed on by IAEA Member States.

Dr. Alumanda Dela Rosa, Director, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, presented the summaryof the Working Session Two during the last day of the IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety. IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 24 June 2011

The Philippines also joined fellow ASEAN Member States in a call on Director General Amano on 21 June 2011. The ASEAN heads of delegations collectively expressed their solidarity with the people and Government of Japan as they deal with the tragedy and their strong support for the work of the IAEA in nuclear safety and the initiatives of the Director General in this area.

Bilateral meeting between the ASEAN Delegation and IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano during

the Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety. IAEA, Vienna, Austria, 21 June 2011

In a related development, the IAEA Board of Governors approved on 07 June 2011 "Technical cooperation project in support of a marine benchmark study on the possible impact of the Fukushima radioactive releases in the Asia Pacific Region". The project, which was requested by Member States of the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (RCA) following the Fukushima accident, aims to support a marine benchmark study on the possible impact of radioactive releases in the Asia Pacific region, specifically on the marine environment, and to make a scientific assessment of the data. It will begin implementation on 01 July 2011 with the availability of initial funding from the United States Peaceful Uses Initiative in the amount of US Dollars 400,000.

Links: IAEA Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety

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