The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) FAQ

IAEA - The International Atomic Energy Agency

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an organization that has established relationships with the United Nations and is engaged in scientific and technical cooperation in the field of atomic energy by governments of all countries. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The organization includes the General Assembly, the Council and the Secretariat.

On March 15, 2011, due to the explosion of multiple units at the Fukushima nuclear power plant caused by the March 11 earthquake in Honshu Island, Japan, the Japanese government has asked the International Atomic Energy Agency for help.

UN Organization Name:    International Atomic Energy Agency

English abbreviation:    IAEA

Headquarters address:    Vienna

Proposed time:    December 1954

Established:    October 26, 1956

Current Director General:    Rafael Mariano Grossi

Member States:    153 (as of February 2012)

Official website:    https://www.iaea.org/

What is the Institutional History of IAEA?

In December 1954, the Ninth United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the establishment of an international agency dedicated to the peaceful uses of atomic energy. 

After two years of preparation, the Statute Conference, which had 82 countries participating, adopted the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency ("Agency") on October 26, 1956.

On July 29, 1957, the "Statute" came into effect. In October of the same year, the International Atomic Energy Agency held its first plenary meeting to announce the formal establishment of the agency.

 

What is the Institutional purpose of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)?

The IAEA institutional purpose is to seek to accelerate and expand the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world. To ensure that assistance provided by itself, or upon its request, or under its supervision or control is not used for any military purpose.

What is the Operation Mechanism of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)?

The organization of the International Atomic Energy Agency includes the General Assembly.

The conference is composed of representatives of all member countries and meets once a year. 

The secretariat is the executive agency and is the leader of the Director General. And the Department of Safeguards.

Of the 35 members, 11 members are appointed by the IAEA General Assembly for a term of one year. These 11 members are distributed by region, and are served by the countries with the most developed core industries in each region. The other 24 members are elected by the General Assembly, and the two-year term is fixed for each term.

What is the Organization Composition of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)?

The organization of the International Atomic Energy Agency includes the General Assembly, the Council and the Secretariat. The decision-making organs of its statutory IAEA are the General Assembly and the Council. The two agencies jointly determine the Agency’s programme and budget and appoint the Director General of the Agency.

The IAEA General Assembly

Consists of all member states. The conference is held once a year, usually in September, for a week. The General Assembly consists of the Committee of the Whole and the General Committee, the latter also having the functions of the Credentials Committee.

It consists of representatives of all 127 member states of the IAEA and meets once a year.

The board of directors consists of 35 members and holds 4 meetings a year. 13 of them are designated by the board of directors and 22 are elected by the conference. 

The council is composed of representatives from 43 countries.

Council

The 35-member Council is the highest executive body of the organization; the secretariat is composed of professionals and staff under the leadership of the Director-General.

The Director-General is appointed by the Council, and 6 Deputy Director-Generals are responsible for 6 independent departments.

The Scientific Advisory Committee, the Technical Assistance Committee, the Administrative and Budget Committee, and the Security Committee. Convenes an annual assembly of representatives of all member states.

It consists of 35 members, of which 13 are designated members and 22 are elected members. The designated members are the world ’s most advanced countries in nuclear technology (including raw material production) (10) and 1 relevant region’s most advanced country (3), with a term of one year. But in fact, except for the rotation of designated member states in Western Europe (excluding Britain, Germany, France) and Latin America.

The other designated members are permanent, because these countries are designated as members every year. China, Britain, France, Russia and the United States are designated members. 

The principle of balanced distribution of electoral members by region is elected by the General Assembly, with half of the elections re-elected each year for a two-year term. The Council meets four times a year.

The IAEA Secretariat

The Secretariat is the executive body, led by the Director General, and consists of the Policy Development Office, the Technical Assistance and Cooperation Division, the Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Safety Division, the Administration Division, the Research and Isotope Division and the Safeguards Division. 

The headquarters of the agency is located in the Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria. It has 137 member countries. 

The most recent 49th Congress (September 26 to September 30, 2005) was held near the headquarters of the agency.

Technical Officials

The daily executive office is led by the Director General.

There are Technical Assistance and Cooperation Division, Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Safety Division, Administration Management Division, Research and Isotope Division, and Safeguard Supervision Department, which are led by five deputy director-generals. 

There are also three research units

Seibersdorf Laboratory (Austria), Trieste International Center for Theoretical Physics Research (Italy), and International Marine Radioactivity Laboratory (Monaco). The Director General is appointed by the Council and approved by the General Assembly for a term of four years.

What are the Institutional Functions of IAEA?

To fulfill these responsibilities, the IAEA has an emergency response center with 24-hour response capabilities, trained staff and communication capabilities with 220 contact points worldwide. 

The center is also the secretariat of the Inter-Agency Committee to Deal with Nuclear Accidents. This secretariat is the central point for the United Nations system to coordinate countermeasures for nuclear accidents and radiological emergencies.

Member States have always encouraged the IAEA to prepare guidance opinions to assist countries in planning for possible future return incidents and provide internationally agreed guidance on dealing with such situations. 

Accordingly, the IAEA published a document on emergency planning and preventive measures for the return of nuclear power source satellites in its Safety Series in 1996. 

The purpose of this document is to provide a comprehensive overview of the management of accidents or emergencies that may occur when the nuclear power source used by the space system accidentally returns to the Earth’s atmosphere and affects the Earth’s surface. 

The main object of the document is the government organization responsible for planning for potential radiological emergencies, and in the event of an upcoming incident without any planning, this document can provide a valuable reference for rapid action.

In view of the Agency’s statutory and legal responsibilities, experience and proven infrastructure, the Agency should be used as a reference point for all activities related to radiation safety in the United Nations system, including those related to outer space activities. 

In addition, the IAEA is committed to using various resources to promote, facilitate and support cooperation between Contracting States within the scope of its responsibilities under the Aid Convention and Statute. 

To this end, the IAEA is prepared to provide assistance in the following areas:

• Collect and disseminate the following information to the Contracting States and Member States
• Experts, equipment and materials available in the event of a nuclear accident or radiation emergency
• Methods, technologies and research results that can be used to deal with nuclear accidents or radiation emergencies.
• Upon receipt of the request, assistance is provided to the Contracting State or Member State in any of the following areas or other appropriate areas
• Prepare emergency plans and appropriate regulations when nuclear accidents and radiation emergencies occur
• Develop appropriate training programs for personnel dealing with nuclear accidents and radiation emergencies
• Transmit assistance requests and related information in the event of a nuclear accident or radiation emergency
• Develop appropriate radiation monitoring programs, procedures and standards
• Investigate the feasibility of establishing an appropriate radiation monitoring system
• Provide appropriate resources allocated to the State Party or Member States requesting assistance in the event of a nuclear accident or radiation emergency for initial assessment of the accident or emergency
• Mediation of Contracting States and Member States in the event of a nuclear accident or radiation emergency
• In order to obtain and exchange relevant information and data, establish and maintain liaison with relevant international organizations, and provide a list of these organizations to the Contracting States, Member States and the aforementioned organizations.

Which are the Member States of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)?

The International Atomic Energy Agency stipulates that any country can become a member of the Agency as long as it is recommended by the Agency’s Board of Directors and approved by the General Assembly and deposited with the Agency’s Statute Acceptance Letter.

As of February 2012, the agency has 153 member countries. Including:

• United States
• Jordan
• Algeria
• Angola
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Austria
• China
• Croatia
• Estonia
• Ethiopia
• Georgia
• Kenya
• Latvia, Libya
• Namibia
• Russia
• Uganda
• Bulgaria
• Liberia
• Luxembourg
• Slovakia
• Chile
• Ireland
• Portugal
• Australia
• Israel
• Niger
• Venezuela
• Cuba
• Ecuador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Mexico
• Peru
• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Azerbaijan
• Bangladesh
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Belize
• Benin
• Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Burkina Faso
• Cameroon
• Canada
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Dominican Republic
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Eritrea
• Finland
• France
• Gabon
• Germany
• Ghana
• Greece
• Haiti
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Iraq, Italy
• Ivory Sea (Republic of Côte d’ Ivoire)
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Kazakhstan
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• Lebanon
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Macedonia
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Mali
• Malta
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Moldova
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Pakistan
• Palau
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Philippines
• Poland
• Qatar
• Romania
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Syria
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vatican
• Vietnam
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
• Congo Democratic Republic
• South Korea

Joining Time of Countries

1957: Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Vatican, Hungary, Iceland , India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Monaco, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland , Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam

1958: Belgium, Ecuador, Finland, Islamic Republic of Iran, Luxembourg, Mexico, Philippines, Sudan

1959: Iraq

1960: Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Senegal

1961: Lebanon, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo

1962: Saudi Arabia

1963: Algeria, Bolivia, Côte d’ Ivoire, Libya, Syria, Uruguay

1964: Cameroon, Gabon, Kuwait, Nigeria

1965: Costa Rica, Cyprus, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar

1966: Panama

1967: Sierra Leone, Singapore, Uganda

1968: Liechtenstein

1969: Malaysia, Niger, Zambia

1970: Ireland

1972: Bangladesh

1973: Mongolia

1974: Mauritius

1976: Qatar, UAE, Tanzania

1977: Nicaragua

1983: Namibia

1984: China

1986: Zimbabwe

1992: Estonia, Slovenia

1993: Armenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia

1994: (Former Yugoslav Republic of) Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Marshall Islands, Uzbekistan, Yemen

1995: Bosnia and Herzegovina

1996: Georgia

1997: Latvia, Malta, Moldova

1998: Burkina Faso

1999: Angola, Benin

2000: Tajikistan

2001: Azerbaijan, Central African Republic

2002: Eritrea, Botswana

2003: Honduras, Seychelles, Kyrgyzstan

2004: Mauritania, Togo

2005: Chad

2006: Belize, Malawi, Montenegro, Mozambique

2007: Cape Verde (intended)

2008: Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea (intended)

2009: Bahrain, Burundi, Cambodia, Congo, Oman, Lesotho, Rwanda (intended)

2011: Laos, Tonga (proposed)

2012: Dominica

Total: 153 (As of February 2012, the total does not include the above-mentioned countries in italics.

These countries will be approved to accede after depositing the acceptance of the agency’s Statute.)

Note:

1994: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea joined the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1974 and withdrew from its members on June 13, 1994

2003: Cambodia joined the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1958 and withdrew from its members on March 26, 2003. On November 23, 2009, the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency restored the membership of Cambodia in accordance with the recommendations of the Council.

2003: The former Yugoslavia was changed to Serbia and Montenegro. In June 2006, the membership of the International Atomic Energy Agency was continued by Serbia and Montenegro.

Relations with China

On January 1, 1984, the Chinese government submitted an acceptance letter from the acceptance agency "Statute" and became an official member.

In 1986, China participated in the formulation and signing of the Convention on Early Notification of Nuclear Accidents and the Convention on Assistance in Nuclear Accidents or Radiation Emergency.

In September 1988, China and the agency formally signed the Agreement between the People ’s Republic of China and the International Atomic Energy Agency on the Implementation of Safeguards in China, which entered into force on September 18, 1989.

In December 1988, China participated in the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material formulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency and kept by its Director General.

On June 22, 1990, China and the International Atomic Energy Agency signed the "Agreement on Technical Assistance between the People's Republic of China and the International Atomic Energy Agency".

In September 1994, China signed the Nuclear Safety Convention.

In May 1997, at the agency ’s special council, China stated that it accepted certain specific measures of the agency ’s “93 + 2” plan and promised to conclude legally binding documents with the agency in due course to enable these measures to be implemented.

In December 1998, China and the agency signed the "Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the International Atomic Energy Agency on Safeguards in China."

On March 28, 2002, the Chinese government notified the agency that it had completed the internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of the additional protocol, and that the additional protocol came into force for China.

In April 2006, China joined the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.

In September 2009, China approved the amendments to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

On August 16, 2010, the China Atomic Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency signed a nuclear security cooperation agreement to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in nuclear security regulations and standards.

What are the Main Activities of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)?

The IAEA is not a specialized agency of the United Nations, but the agency and the United Nations work in coordination.

It has a relationship agreement and has direct contact with the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council.

In 1991, the Security Council passed Resolution 687. The agency accepted the commission’s entrustment to participate in the verification activities for the destruction of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear weapons) in Iraq, and did a lot of work to implement Resolution 687.

The main activities are:

1. Provide technical assistance to member countries to help them carry out research and application of peaceful uses of nuclear energy

2. Enter into a “safeguards agreement” with relevant countries and international organizations, for technical assistance projects provided by or by the agency itself, to member states or other international organizations, and in accordance with nuclear non-proliferation obligations (the NPT, Obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty such as the Tlatelolco Treaty and the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty) entrusted supervision projects to implement safeguard supervision to ensure that these projects are not used for any military purpose.

3. Organize research and formulate safety regulations on the use of nuclear energy, and recommend their use to countries all over the world.

4. Sign scientific research contracts with relevant member states or specialized international institutions.

5. Convene various scientific and technological conferences and organize the exchange of information on the peaceful use of atomic energy by establishing information networks, libraries, and publishing books and periodicals.

After four years of arduous negotiations, in May 1997, the Special Council of Institutions completed the "93 + 2 Plan" on measures to strengthen the safeguards mechanism and adopted the model protocol for safeguards. 

This marks the expansion of the agency ’s safeguards capabilities and scope from only verifying nuclear activities declared by countries to the detection of secret nuclear facilities and activities of non-nuclear-weapon states.

In September 1997, the agency concluded the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the Protocol Amending the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, and the Supplementary Fund Source Convention.

Nuclear Fuel Supply Plan

In March 2011, the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors approved a new multilateral nuclear fuel supply program aimed at meeting the needs of developing countries that cannot produce nuclear fuel for peaceful use of nuclear energy, while reducing the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation.

Prior to this, the IAEA had approved two multilateral nuclear fuel supply plans. Among them, a nuclear fuel bank established in cooperation with Russia has been opened in the Siberian region of Russia, and another nuclear fuel bank program controlled by the IAEA was also in the Council at the end of 2010. It was approved at the meeting.

From November 21 to 22, 2011, the IAEA held the Middle East Nuclear Weapon-Free Forum at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

Score

Since its establishment, the International Atomic Energy Agency has done a lot of work in accordance with the two functions (safety supervision and peaceful use of nuclear energy) stipulated in the Statute. 

In the field of safeguards, it has signed comprehensive safeguards agreements and individual safeguards agreements with more than 140 countries and regional organizations. Nuclear-weapon States have also concluded voluntary safeguards agreements with them.

 In particular, the Additional Safeguards Protocol adopted in May 1997 marked the expansion of the agency’s safeguards capabilities and scope from only verifying nuclear activities declared by States to detecting secret nuclear facilities and activities in non-nuclear-weapon states.

 In terms of promoting the spread of nuclear knowledge and technology, and strengthening international cooperation in nuclear safety, the agency has successively formulated a series of international conventions related to nuclear safety, radiation safety, and waste management safety standards, such as the Convention on Early Notification of Nuclear Accidents, and Nuclear Accident or Radiation Emergency Assistance Convention, Nuclear Safety Convention, etc. 

In particular, in 1997 the agency concluded the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the Amendment of the Protocol to the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, and the Supplementary Fund Source Convention.

Because of its outstanding achievements, the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the organization’s Director General Mohamed ElBaradei in recognition of their contributions in preventing the use of nuclear energy in the military field and in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Historical events

Strong earthquake in Japan

On March 16, 2011, Kyodo News reported that Japan’s Permanent Representative to Vienna International Agency Meng Neng revealed to Kyodo News on the 15th that the Japanese government had requested the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to send an expert team to help deal with the Great East Japan Earthquake Nuclear power plant accident. 

It is expected that the IAEA will first dispatch an environmental monitoring team.

The IAEA has previously stated that it will respond if it receives a specific dispatch request from Japan. IAEA Director General Miyano Amano said at the press conference that day "will be dispatched as soon as possible".

The Japanese government hopes to prevent further expansion of disasters with the assistance of international agencies and obtain an accident assessment from a neutral standpoint.

Nakamoto said that since the nuclear power plant is difficult to access, it was initially expected that a small-scale expert team would be dispatched, and stressed that it hoped that it would enter the accident site as soon as possible.

The Japanese government requested the IAEA to send an expert team on the 14th. The two sides are currently negotiating details on the workplace and period. 

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Nobuyuki Amano, said at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna on the 15th that the destruction of Japan’s nuclear power facilities by the Japanese earthquake did not mean that projects for peaceful use of nuclear energy, including nuclear power, should be abandoned.

He emphasized that we "need a stable energy supply and need to deal with climate change."

In these respects, the opportunities provided by nuclear power are far greater than the risks it brings.

Amano also said that the peaceful use of nuclear energy provides the possibility of treating cancer, provides cheap energy, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. These facts will not be changed by the accident caused by the Japanese earthquake.

Japan-born Amano is 63 years old, has served as a Japanese diplomat in the United States and Belgium, and has participated in disarmament negotiations many times as a nuclear expert. He entered the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005, and served as its Director General at the end of 2009.

IAEA and Iran issue

Until the end of 2008, the members of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors had differences on how to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue. 

Britain, France, Germany and the United States, representing the EU, insisted that Iran immediately cease uranium enrichment activities, otherwise it would submit the Iranian nuclear issue to the UN Security Council. 

Some member states, including Russia and China, advocate diplomacy to resolve the Iranian nuclear crisis within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

IAEA and North Korea nuclear issue

On September 4, 2014, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that it had captured signs that North Korea was restarting its 5 MW nuclear reactor in Yongbyon.

According to the IAEA, North Korea is continuing to carry out repairs and construction works. 

Although it is difficult to determine the purpose of this move from satellite image data, it is consistent with North Korea ’s claim that it has always claimed that it is developing nuclear holding capabilities.

The IAEA published an annual report on the nuclear facility in Yongbyon that day, thinking that the Yongbyon nuclear reactor had steam and cooling water discharged, thus proving that North Korea was starting. 

North Korea announced in April 2013 that in order to explore nuclear deterrence, it would restart the nuclear reactor in the Yongbyon nuclear park. North Korea has always maintained that the development of nuclear weapons is a "sword" for the aggressive war led by the United States.

In this report, the IAEA stated that North Korea ’s nuclear development plan is "still a serious problem." They have been using satellite images to monitor the situation in Yongbyon.

The report pointed out that since August 2013, the IAEA analyzed satellite video and observed that water vapor and cooling water were discharged from the nuclear reactor. This is the proof that the reactor has been started.

The report also pointed out that the IAEA has not been in contact with a 5 MW-level nuclear reactor after April 2009, so it is impossible to confirm the startup status of the nuclear reactor. 

After North Korea banned the entry of IAEA inspectors in 2009, there were no inspectors in North Korea.

According to the report, North Korea is continuing to carry out repairs and construction works at many locations in the Yongbyon Nuclear Park. 

Although it is difficult to determine the purpose of this move from satellite image data alone, this is the same as what has been claimed to be developing nuclear holding capacity North Korea's claims coincide.

After North Korea announced its plan to restart the nuclear reactor, experts predicted that if there were no major damage to the idle facilities during the period, it would only take half a year to restart. 

In response, the Director General of IAEA, Amano, said at the end of last year that North Korea tried to restart the research reactor in Yongbyon.

The National Institute of Science and Technology of the United States also stated that the satellite photos taken at the end of June confirmed the fact that North Korea was starting a nuclear reactor.

IAEA Director General

Who is the Current Director General of IAEA?

On October 30, 2019, the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors met to announce the election of Rafael Mariano Grossi as the new Director General. 

On December 3, Grossi became the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. 

Who were the Previous Director-Generals of IAEA?

1. William Sterling Cole, October 7, 1957-October 6, 1961 American citizenship

2. Sigvard Arne Eklund (Sigvard Arne Eklund) October 6, 1961-November 30, 1981 Swedish nationality

3. Hans Blix December 1, 1981-December 1, 1997 Swedish citizenship

4. Mohamed M. El Baradei (December 1, 1997-December 1, 2009) Egyptian

5. Yukiya Amano December 1, 2009-July 22, 2019 Japanese citizenship

Agent Cornel Feruta July 22, 2019-December 2, 2019 Romanian citizenship

6, Rafael Mariano Grossi (Rafael Mariano Grossi) December 3, 2019-now Argentine citizenship

Related Information

What are the Publications of IAEA?

Safety Series No. 115-International Basic Safety Standards for the Prevention of Ionizing Radiation and the Safety of Radiation Sources: A Safeguard (1996), FAO, IAEA, ILO, Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD), Pan American Health Organization and World Satellite Organization, Vienna.

Safety Bulletin No. 119, Emergency Planning and Precautions for the Return of Nuclear Power Source Satellites (1996), Vienna, IAEA.

What is the Headquarters Address of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)?

The International Atomic Energy Agency is headquartered in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

IAEA headquarters building

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s United Nations City, located in Vienna, Austria, is a group of silver-gray modern buildings consisting of a cylindrical conference building and six office buildings of varying heights. 

The tallest building among them and the other building next to it are the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The IAEA organization includes the General Assembly and the Council and the Secretariat. 

The General Assembly is composed of representatives of all member countries and meets once a year.

The Secretariat is the executive body, led by the Director General, and has:

• The Policy Development Office and the Technical Assistance and Cooperation Division
• The Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Safety Division
• The Administration Management Division
• Research and Isotope Division and Safeguards Division

Since its establishment, the International Atomic Energy Agency has done a lot of work in safeguards and peaceful use of nuclear energy. 

Also, it has successively chaired the formulation of :

• The Convention on Early Notification of Nuclear Accidents
• The Convention on Assistance in Nuclear Accidents or Radiation Emergency
• The Convention on Nuclear Safety
• The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management  The Safety of Radioactive Waste Management
• The Amendment of the Protocol to the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage
• The Supplementary Fund Source Convention
• A series of safety standards related to nuclear safety, radiation safety, and waste management Relevant international conventions

In 1984, the Chinese government submitted an acceptance letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency to become the official member of the Agency.

For decades, China has participated in the formulation of some international conventions of the agency, and signed a series of conventions and agreements with the agency.

In 2005, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the organization’s Director General Mohamed ElBaradei in recognition of their contributions in preventing the use of nuclear energy in the military field and in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.