Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am very pleased to be with you today at the University of the West Indies.
The University has an excellent reputation throughout this region, and beyond, for the high quality of its education and research.
I have already had a chance to visit the International Center for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences and to meet some medical physics postgraduates. I was very impressed by the calibre of your people and by their energy and enthusiasm.
Before talking about various aspects of the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency, let me mention briefly that I came to Jamaica from Washington, where I attended the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by President Obama.
Nuclear security is an important and growing area of the IAEA’s work. We act as the global platform for helping countries to prevent nuclear and other radioactive material from falling into the hands of terrorists.
We train police and border guards in nuclear security, provide instruments for detecting nuclear and other radioactive material, and advise countries on how to improve their nuclear security frameworks.
Jamaica is one of more than 130 countries which contribute to the IAEA Incident and Trafficking Database, which keeps track of illicit trafficking and other unauthorized activities involving nuclear and other radioactive material throughout the world.
In this, as in all other areas of our cooperation, Jamaica is a highly valued partner of the IAEA.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The IAEA starts celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Jamaica has been a Member State since 1965.
A key role of the IAEA is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons by verifying that all nuclear material and activities in a country are in peaceful purposes. This is what we are best known for in the media.
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, an equally important 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.
I often summarise this part of our mandate 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.
Here in Jamaica, current IAEA technical cooperation projects are focussed on the re-establishment of nuclear medicine services, water management, and agriculture.
Recently, we worked with Jamaica and the United States to complete the conversion of the Slowpoke research reactor – operated by your university - to low enriched uranium fuel from high enriched uranium.
The completion of this important project last year means the Caribbean region is now completely free of high enriched uranium, which could potentially be used to manufacture material used for nuclear weapons.
In addition, the Slowpoke reactor’s capacity has been doubled, which will allow your scientists to expand research related to food safety, food security, water and air quality. With the extra capacity, Jamaica will also be able assist other countries in the Caribbean with their research.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I will say a few words about the IAEA’s work in cancer control.
Many developing countries lack the capacity to provide adequate radiotherapy services, which are 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.
The IAEA has invested nearly 300 million euros in cancer and radiotherapy projects throughout the world. Our Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy – PACT – helps countries to use limited resources more efficiently.
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 2013, the IAEA conducted what we call an imPACT review mission in Jamaica, requested by the government, to study what cancer services were available and advise on ways of strengthening them.
The government has identified a need for new equipment such as linear accelerators, which generate X-rays for use in cancer diagnosis and treatment. We are now working with our Jamaican counterparts to help improve the availability of radiotherapy services for cancer patients.
This is a high priority for the IAEA, and for me personally.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Agency takes pride in being able to react quickly to emergencies in Member States, such as the recent outbreak of the Zika virus in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
We are providing portable equipment that will allow for rapid detection of the Zika virus in the field, and training our local partners in how to use it. The same nuclear-derived technology was made available by the Agency in 2014 to help countries in West Africa respond to the Ebola virus outbreak.
Scientists at the University of the West Indies are key partners for us in our efforts to help Jamaica respond to the zika virus. I understand that Jamaican scientists are participating in specialist training on zika which we are providing at our laboratories near Vienna this week.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Speaking of our laboratories -- the eight IAEA nuclear applications are unique within the UN system.
They offer training for scientists from our 168 Member States, support research in human health, food and other areas, and provide analytical services to national laboratories.
A number of scientists from Jamaica have spent time at the laboratories as Scientific Visitors, or held fellowships with us. They work with other top international scientists in their fields and return home to share their expertise with their colleagues.
The laboratories are more than 50 years old and are somewhat dilapidated, so we have embarked on a comprehensive modernisation. This will enable us to improve the services we can offer Member States. I ask all countries to contribute.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The nations of Latin America and the Caribbean made a major contribution to non-proliferation and disarmament by establishing the world’s first nuclear-weapon-free zone in a populated area.
This was created under the 1967 Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, generally known as the Treaty of Tlatelolco, to which Jamaica is a Party.
The IAEA supports the creation of nuclear-weapon-free zones and helps to implement them. These zones now cover vast regions of the world. Your region can take pride in having led the way. Jamaica is a strong advocate of the need to create a world free from nuclear weapons.
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 Jamaica. We look forward to deepening that cooperation in future.
I will stop here and will be happy to take your questions.
Thank you.