He stressed that his support for the non -proliferation regime, the Nuclear Non -Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the OIEA is crucial.
“I urge member states to commit to a system that has been one of the most important foundations for international peace, even during the most tense decades of our generation,” he said.
He pointed out that the conference comes at a time when “acts of terrorism, multiple military conflicts and the erosion of nuclear norms are happening against a growing gap between poverty and prosperity.”
Mr. Grossi talked about the ways in which OIEA is working to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and is making good use of nuclear science, even for the treatment of cancer, food security, monitoring of plastic pollution, disease detection and artificial intelligence.
Nuclear safety worldwide
Earlier this year, Syria agreed to cooperate with the OIEA, and last week, the agency reached an agreement with Iran to resume the implementation of nuclear safeguards, technical measures used by the IEA to ensure that if countries advance in nuclear technology, they do so for peaceful purposes.
“When the OIEA confirms the peaceful use of a state’s nuclear material, confidence on nuclear activities is established,” said Grossi.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, where nuclear centrals are at risk of conflicts, the OIEA has sent more than 200 missions and is “present in the field in all sites.”
But there are more challenges. The Democratic Popular Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues its nuclear weapons program, while even the respectful countries of the TNP, the International Agreement required to abolish nuclear weapons, are discussing adding them.
“Think for a minute about a world where, instead of a few, we would have 20 or 25 countries armed with nuclear weapons,” he warned.
Peaceful uses of nuclear science
Three years ago, OIEA launched its flagship program, Rays of Hope, becoming a “catalyst for real and substantial progress in cancer care.” Through the initiative, concrete measures have been taken in 40 countries: hospitals have been built, obtained radiotherapy machines and trained physicists.
In addition, the OIEA joint program with the organization of agriculture and agriculture of the UN (FAO), Atoms4 Food, is helping to boost food security and reduce the environmental tension that arises from agriculture.
“In a world of abundance, 700 million people should not have to bed hungry every night,” he said.
Mr. Grossi highlighted more ways in which the agency is benefiting people and the planet, even through its initiative that supports many countries to address pollution and plastic waste, and another to improve global preparation for diseases.
An optimistic perspective
With powerful tools such as artificial intelligence and automatic learning, “the future is too exciting to get lost.”
Nuclear energy can feed artificial intelligence infrastructure, while artificial intelligence can improve nuclear technology. To explore this mutually beneficial relationship thoroughly, the OIEA will organize the first symposium dedicated to the subject in December this year.
Fusion Energy, which has progressed thanks to public and private capital, is another technological development that is soon expected to take off.
“Each challenge is an opportunity,” concluded Mr. Grossi. “Peace is not simply the absence of conflict. It is dynamic and hopeful to strive what I see in what we do around the world.”
The 69th General Conference of the OIEA will take place from September 15 to 19 in Vienna, Austria, where more than 3,000 participants are registered to attend.