By our Special Correspondent
The International Atomic Energy Agency will open its 70th General Conference in Vienna on Sept. 14, bringing together representatives from 181 member states for five days of talks on nuclear safety and security, safeguards, nuclear technology and international cooperation.
The 70th consecutive annual meeting comes as governments face a range of competing demands around nuclear energy, nonproliferation, safety and the growing use of nuclear science in areas such as health and development.
The General Conference, the IAEA’s principal policymaking forum, will run through Sept. 18 at the Vienna International Centre. Delegations will review the agency’s work, consider resolutions and set priorities for the year ahead.
The conference is expected to draw around 2,500 to 3,000 participants, including national representatives, scientists, technical experts, officials from international organizations and NGO delegates.
Nuclear Safety and Security High on Agenda
Safety and security will be among the most closely watched parts of the conference program.
The IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Safety and Security has scheduled five side events and three tours covering regulatory cooperation, nuclear facility resilience, nuclear security, safety culture and the work of national regulators.
The International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group Forum on Sept. 14 will address regulatory and safety concepts, the resilience of nuclear facilities and maritime applications of nuclear energy.
A Sept. 15 event marking 20 years of the IAEA’s Nuclear Security Series will examine the development of international nuclear security guidance and its role in supporting implementation of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment.
The Regulatory Cooperation Forum plenary, also on Sept. 15, will bring together regulators and technical experts to discuss nuclear safety, regulatory effectiveness and cooperation, including challenges facing countries developing or expanding nuclear power programs.
Safety Culture in Focus
The safety debate will continue on Sept. 16 with a session marking 40 years since the concept of safety culture was introduced by the IAEA’s International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group.
The timing carries particular significance for the nuclear sector, with 2026 marking anniversaries of both the Chornobyl and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accidents.
The session will examine how safety culture and safety science have evolved and will consider future changes to the IAEA’s safety culture framework.
Senior safety and security regulators will hold a separate meeting on Sept. 17 covering nuclear, radiation, transport and radioactive waste safety, as well as nuclear security.
Cancer Care Brings Development Agenda to Vienna
Not all of the conference’s focus will be on nuclear power or security.
The Scientific Forum on Sept. 15-16 will examine the IAEA’s Rays of Hope initiative under the theme “Rays of Hope: Delivering on the Promise of Cancer Care.”
The program focuses on the use of nuclear techniques in cancer diagnosis and treatment and the continuing gap in access to radiotherapy and other essential cancer services, particularly in lower-income countries.
According to figures cited by the IAEA, nearly 10 million people died from cancer worldwide in 2024, while 20.6 million new cases were recorded. The World Health Organization expects annual cases to rise to 35 million by 2050.
The forum will look at partnerships, financing and ways to expand cancer-care capacity.
Financing Radiation Medicine
A separate technical cooperation event on Sept. 17 will look specifically at the financing of radiation medicine.
The session, “Success Stories in Financing the Scaling up of Radiation Medicine,” will examine how countries have sought funding for radiotherapy services after preparing techno-economic feasibility studies and bankable project documents with IAEA assistance.
The discussion is likely to be of interest to countries trying to move from plans for expanded cancer treatment to projects that can attract government funding or financing from external institutions.
Participants will discuss financing experiences as well as the operational requirements involved in maintaining radiation medicine services, including staffing and radiation safety and security.
Africa’s Nuclear Workforce
Another Sept. 17 event will focus on Africa’s next generation of nuclear professionals.
The session, “Building the Next Generation of Nuclear Leaders: The African Experience,” will address workforce planning, leadership development, knowledge transfer and youth participation.
Artificial intelligence and advanced nuclear technologies will also feature in the discussion as countries consider how the changing technology environment could affect the skills required across the nuclear sector.
For African countries developing or considering nuclear programs, the availability of trained personnel and the ability of institutions to retain technical knowledge remain important elements of long-term capacity.
Regional Cooperation
The conference will also bring together representatives associated with four IAEA regional cooperation agreements: AFRA, ARCAL, ARASIA and RCA.
The frameworks cover Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Arab states, and Asia and the Pacific, respectively.
Their meetings will provide an opportunity for participating countries to review common priorities and discuss cooperation in nuclear science and technology.
The broader technical cooperation program covers applications ranging from health and agriculture to water management, environmental protection, industry and energy planning.
Global Nuclear Experts to Gather in Vienna
Nuclear experts, policymakers, regulators and national representatives from around the world will gather in Vienna for the five-day conference, with discussions spanning nuclear safety and security, safeguards, energy, technology and the peaceful applications of nuclear science.
The meeting is expected to bring a mix of formal policy discussions and bilateral consultations, with delegations also using the margins of the conference to discuss nuclear cooperation and broader international engagement.
Iran will be represented by Mohammad Eslami, vice president and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, who left Tehran for Vienna on Sept. 12, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency. He is expected to address the conference and hold meetings with foreign officials and representatives.
What to Watch in Vienna
The formal agenda will be accompanied by national statements, bilateral meetings and a large number of technical discussions taking place on the margins of the conference.
For delegates, the week will offer a chance to assess where international cooperation on nuclear issues is heading at a time when nuclear energy is receiving renewed attention while governments continue to face questions over safety, security and nonproliferation.
The General Conference will conclude on Sept. 18 after member states consider resolutions covering the agency’s work, budget, technical cooperation, nuclear science and technology, nuclear safety and security, safeguards and other areas.
Key Side Events
Sept. 14
- International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group Forum (INSAG)
2 p.m.-4 p.m., Conference Room M6, M Building. Regulatory and safety concepts, nuclear facility resilience and maritime applications of nuclear energy.
Sept. 15
- The Global Reference for Nuclear Security: 20 Years of the IAEA’s Nuclear Security Series
9 a.m.-10 a.m., Conference Room CR6, C Building. Nuclear security guidance and implementation of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment. - Regulatory Cooperation Forum Plenary Meeting
10 a.m.-1 p.m., Conference Room CR3, C Building. Nuclear safety, regulatory effectiveness and international cooperation.
Sept. 16
- Improving Culture for Safety Based on the Lessons Learned from 40 Years of Safety Culture and Safety Science
3:30 p.m.-5 p.m., ESPACE, M Building. The development of safety culture and safety science, including lessons associated with Chornobyl and Fukushima Daiichi.
Sept. 17
- Success Stories in Financing the Scaling up of Radiation Medicine
9 a.m.-10 a.m., Conference Room CR5, C Building. Financing radiotherapy and other radiation medicine services. - Senior Safety and Security Regulators’ Meeting
1 p.m.-6:30 p.m., Board Room D, C Building. Nuclear, radiation, transport and radioactive waste safety, nuclear security and regulatory issues. - Building the Next Generation of Nuclear Leaders: The African Experience
3 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Conference Room M6, M Building. Nuclear workforce development, leadership, knowledge transfer, youth participation, artificial intelligence and advanced nuclear technologies.