The 62nd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) opened today, Monday, in the Austrian capital, Vienna, with the participation of official delegations from more than 170 countries. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – represented by the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE), the Kingdom's Embassy in Austria, and several other relevant bodies – is participating in the activities and events of this conference taking place during the period 7-11 Muharram 1440 (17-21 September 2018). The Kingdom's delegation to the Conference is headed by Eng. Khalid ibn Abdulaziz Al-Falih, the Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources and KACARE's Chairman of the Board. The deputy head of the delegation is Dr. Khalid ibn Salih Al-Sultan, President of KACARE. In addition, participating is the Ambassador of the Kingdome of Saudi Arabia to Austria, and permanent representative of the Kingdom to international organizations in Vienna, Dr. Khalid ibn Ibrahim Al-Jandan. The Saudi delegation will present the Kingdom's views and positions on a number of important issues in the field of atomic energy, such as the importance of verifying and ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear energy in accordance with international treaties, the Kingdom's support for initiatives to create nuclear-weapon-free geographical zones, including the Middle East, the Kingdom's warning of Iran's aggressive and terrorism-supporting behavior and the Kingdom's concern about compliance with safety standards at Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant the risks represented by its presence in a seismically active zone. The Kingdom's participation will also provide an update on the Saudi National Atomic Energy Project (SNAEP). The objective of the SNAEP is to diversify the local energy mix and utilize the atomic energy for power generation in order to effectively contribute to meeting the growing local demand; boost the national economy by helping to create a sustainable energy system; support the associated value chains; localize industry, technology and knowledge in the areas of atomic energy; and transfer and share knowledge globally to achieve the desired progress in this area. The IAEA General Conference is the highest policymaking body of the IAEA, comprised of representatives from all IAEA member states. It is held annually to consider and approve the IAEA's budget and to decide on other issues raised by the Board of Governors, the Director General and member states. In conjunction with the General Conference, the IAEA holds an annual scientific forum and exhibition for its members, featuring contributions by IAEA-accredited agencies, through which the latest projects and developments in the field of atomic energy are presented.
