Kazakhstan pursuing sovereign equality of Member States in IAEA

 Within the framework of the 67th session of the IAEA General Conference, Kazakhstan’s resolution entitled “Restoration of sovereign equality of Member States in the IAEA” was adopted by an overwhelming majority (99-2-16), Kazinform cites the press service of the Kazakh MFA. 

The resolution was introduced by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov. It was supported by 99 Member States and 56 co-sponsors representing all the geographical areas of the IAEA.

For reference: co-sponsors of the resolution submitted by Kazakhstan: all EU countries, USA, United Kingdom, China, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Singapore, Japan, Nepal, Turkey, etc.

The resolution initiated by Kazakhstan creates a basis for ensuring more fair and democratic approaches to the participation of Member States in the activities of the IAEA. As part of Kazakhstan's efforts to restore sovereign equality in the Agency, for the first time in the history of the IAEA, Kazakhstan has codified a list of 17 countries excluded from the regional groups. The list was published as an official document of the Agency on 10 August 2023 and included in the resolution of the General Conference as a basis for building further work within the framework of the “Group of Friends of Arealess Member States” under the chairmanship of Slovenia.

The resolution of the IAEA General Conference also calls upon Member States to ratify as soon as possible the amendment to Article 6 of the Agency's Statute, which provides for the expansion of the membership of the Board of Governors and the adoption of a list of members by geographical areas. Kazakhstan ratified this amendment in 2019.

The adoption of the resolution was the first practical step to revive the long-standing problem of equal representation of Member States in regional groups, main decision-making bodies, as well as in the relevant consultative processes of the Agency.