The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will host a ministerial conference next week to discuss how to sustain and strengthen nuclear security around the world and reduce the threat of nuclear and other radioactive material being used for malicious purposes.
The International Conference on Nuclear Security: Sustaining and Strengthening Efforts, #ICONS2020, will take place from 10 to 14 February at IAEA headquarters in Vienna. Over 50 Ministers and high-level government officials will join other policymakers and experts to review the current status of international nuclear security and exchange views on future priorities. A ministerial declaration setting out Member States’ commitments to nuclear security is expected to be adopted on the first day.
Almost 1,900 participants have registered to attend the conference, representing more than 130 IAEA Member States and 35 international, regional and non-governmental organizations.
The conference is the third IAEA ministerial conference on nuclear security, following those held in 2016 and 2013. The meeting is structured in two parts: a ministerial segment with national statements on the first two days, and a scientific and technical programme comprising policy discussions on key themes related to nuclear security, as well as parallel technical sessions on specialized issues. Topics to be covered throughout the week include: national legislative and regulatory frameworks, threat and risk assessments, insider threats and nuclear security culture, physical protection of nuclear and radioactive materials, combatting illicit trafficking, human resources development, and computer and information security.
Press Opportunities
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi is expected to hold a press conference at 12:30 on 10 February, in the M-Building Press Room on the ground floor. The press conference will be streamed live here.
The ministerial sessions on 10 and 11 February and all high-level panels throughout the week are open to media. Journalists may also monitor these sessions on live video streaming. The provisional conference programme is available here.
The M-Building Press Room will be available as a press working area on 10 February. Room M0E03 will be available as a press working room from 11 to 14 February.
News from the conference can be found on the IAEA website and social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). Photos of the conference will be available on Flickr, and video material will also be available during the week on the IAEA website.
Accreditation
All journalists are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans to attend. Journalists with permanent credentials to the VIC need no additional credentials. We encourage journalists who do not have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna.
Others should contact Michelle Gruensteidl for accreditation. Please email m.gruensteidl@iaea.org, and copy press@iaea.org, or call [+43-1] 2600-22048 or [+43-1] 2600-21273.