(As prepared for delivery)
Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very pleased to be with you here today.
Burkina Faso has been a Member State of the International Atomic Energy Agency since 1998 and works closely with us in many areas of our work, including cancer control and nutrition.
A key role of the IAEA is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons by implementing safeguards to verify that all nuclear material and activities in a country are in peaceful purposes.
For example, the Agency played an important part in helping to bring about an agreement last year between Iran and six major powers plus the EU, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. We are now verifying and monitoring Iran’s implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the agreement.
However, another key role of the IAEA is to make nuclear science and technology available to generate electricity, improve human and animal health, increase food production – and much more.
This is an extremely important part of our work, which I often summarise as Atoms for Peace and Development. And this will be the focus of my remarks to you today.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The IAEA has been contributing effectively to development for nearly 60 years.
I was in New York last September when world leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals. The 17 Goals cover areas including poverty and hunger, human health, clean water, affordable and clean energy, and climate change.
We already work closely with our Member States in these areas, helping them to achieve their development goals through the use of relevant nuclear technology. Countries determine their own priorities and we provide the necessary assistance.
The Agency takes pride in being able to react quickly to emergencies. For example, during the outbreak of Ebola virus in a number of West African countries in 2014, we quickly made available special diagnostic kits that enabled the affected countries to carry out rapid detection and diagnosis in the field.
Scientists from Burkina Faso took part in IAEA training courses in 2015 on how to detect and diagnose diseases including Ebola and avian flu.
Let me quickly give you a few other examples of our cooperation.
Burkina Faso is collaborating with the IAEA on the use of nuclear techniques to improve the yield and quality of rice. Our experts are also working with yours on improving animal breeding methods for dairy farmers.
Burkina Faso’s Institute of Research in Health Sciences has received IAEA support to help it evaluate human nutrition programmes using stable isotope techniques. This is especially important for ensuring that mothers and young children are receiving proper nutrition.
The Centre International de Recherche-Développement sur l’Elevage en Zone Subhumide was the first IAEA Collaborating Centre in Africa. Over the last 20 years, it has worked with IAEA scientists on using what is known as the sterile insect technique to control insect pests such as the tsetse fly.
This is essentially a form of contraception for insects. Male flies are sterilised using radiation. They are then released into the wild in affected areas, where they mate with females, which do not produce offspring. This technique can eventually eradicate entire populations of insect pests.
As you see, these are all very practical projects which make a real difference to the lives of many people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to say a few words about our work in cancer control, which is a major issue for many countries in this region.
Much of the world's attention has focused on controlling HIV, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa. But sadly, cancer claims more than twice as many lives as these three diseases combined.
Many developing countries lack the capacity to provide radiotherapy, which is a vital element of cancer control. Patients often die of cancers which could be treated if they lived in a country with well-developed cancer facilities. This is a great human tragedy.
For more than 30 years, the IAEA has worked with Member States and international partners such as the World Health Organization to improve countries’ capacity in cancer detection, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care.
Our Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy – PACT – helps countries to use limited resources efficiently and effectively. The IAEA has invested nearly 300 million euros in cancer and radiotherapy projects throughout the world – more than a quarter of it in Africa.
Our mission is to transfer technologies to help save lives. We provide training for medical and technical personnel. Sometimes we help to make equipment available.
In 2010, the IAEA conducted what we call an imPACT review mission in Burkina Faso, requested by the government, to study what cancer services were available and advise on the development of a comprehensive national cancer plan.
The Agency helped Burkina Faso to establish its first nuclear medicine centre and we continue to work closely together in expanding radiotherapy services in your country.
I look forward to visiting some of your cancer facilities tomorrow.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The IAEA’s 168 Member States benefit from access to our nuclear applications laboratories near Vienna. These are unique within the UN system.
They offer training to scientists, support research in human health, food and other areas, and provide analytical services to national laboratories.
Twenty-seven scientists from Burkina Faso have spent time at the laboratories as Scientific Visitors and more than a hundred have held fellowships with us. They work with other top international scientists in their fields and return home to share their expertise with their colleagues.
A comprehensive modernisation of the laboratories is now underway. I ask all IAEA Member States to contribute.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The best known peaceful application of nuclear technology is nuclear power.
Energy is indispensable for development. Many countries believe nuclear power can help them to address the twin challenges of ensuring reliable energy supplies while curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
Around 30 countries are using nuclear power today.
It is up to each country to decide whether or not to introduce nuclear power. The IAEA does not attempt to influence countries’ decisions. If they opt for nuclear power, our job is to help them use it safely, securely and sustainably.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I hope I have given you some insight into the remarkable work of the IAEA.
Let me conclude by saying that the Agency attaches great importance to its cooperation with Burkina Faso. We look forward to deepening that cooperation in future.
I will stop here and will be happy to take your questions.
Thank you.