This Week in History

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CWA # 1421, 2 August 2024
This Week in History
29 July 1957: IAEA comes into force

  Leivon Victor Lamkang

Former US President Eisenhower’s address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 8 December 1953 shaped the IAEA’s statute, which 81 nations unanimously approved in October 1956, leading to the establishment of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 29 July 1957. 

The IAEA is also hailed as the "watchdog" for 178 member states that comprise its membership; though an independent International organisation, it reports to the UN Security Council and UNGA. Vienna, Austria, serves as the organisation's headquarters. According to its mandate, the IAEA promotes nuclear safety, verification, and peaceful usage.

Road to the formation of IAEA
After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the disastrous effect of nuclear weapons became evident to the international community, prompting a huge debate about the non-proliferation of such weapons. On 15 November 1945, three months after WWII, leaders of the USA, Britain and Canada convened to adopt a "Policy of secrecy" which aimed at buying all the available uranium and blocking the transfer of technology and thereby monopolising nuclear technology.

The urgency of these measures was further underscored on 14 June 1946 during the inaugural session of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission. There, an American delegate Bernard Baruch presented the draft report that included one political cause, the abolition of the veto in respect of immediate sanctions against a nation seriously violating the treaty. Although the Soviet Union and Poland ultimately rejected it, the plan increased pressure on the Soviet Union and highlighted the critical need for an international framework to control nuclear arms.

Building on earlier measures, on 8 December 1953, the US President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered his “Atoms for Peace” speech before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He proposed the establishment of an international agency for atomic energy under the auspices of the United Nations. This agency would be empowered to verify and limit the use of nuclear materials and be responsible for receiving, storing, and redistributing them.

Though initially sceptical about the proposal, by the end of 1953 Soviet Union agreed on a discussion on the Eisenhower proposal with the United States. They reaffirmed in 1954 that the USA should first agree to disarmament for any discussion or agreement on establishing the international agency. During the conference in Geneva in August 1955, the Soviet Union announced its willingness to participate in the future agency and accept the third-world statute proposed by the US.

Following the Geneva Conference, two more conferences were held in Washington and New York in 1955 and 1956, respectively. At the Washington conference in 1955, a compromise was reached in 1956, establishing a board of members consisting of the five largest nuclear powers. However, the New York conference saw mixed consensus, affecting the earlier Washington agreement regarding the composition of the board of governors and the financial regulations. 'Article XII' emerged as the most controversial issue during these discussions.

Despite these challenges, on 23 October 1956, the statute was approved unanimously by 81 nations, and the International Atomic Energy Agency came into force on 29 July 1957.

The formation of IAEA and after
The International Atomic Energy Agency came into force on 29 July 1957. This marked the creation of the central agency for cooperation in the nuclear field, providing a platform for member states to collaborate on the safe and peaceful use of nuclear technology with a foundational mandate of the following: Promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy through scientific and technical cooperation; Enhancing nuclear safety and security to protect people and the environment; and implementing safeguards to ensure that Nuclear material and technology were not diverted to military uses.

Since its establishment, the IAEA has had several noteworthy effects on the world. The IAEA has been instrumental in preventing nuclear non-proliferation; with important verification duties, it developed into a vital part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which entered into force in 1970.

To address global concerns, this collaboration facilitates the transmission of best practices in nuclear science and technology, with prominent partnerships including those with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Numerous nations have been able to develop and use nuclear technology as a means of improving healthcare, food security, and Industrial processes.

In addition, the IAEA has played a significant role in confirming international nuclear accords. Its important function in establishing the execution of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also referred to as the Iran nuclear deal, is one such example. These initiatives highlight the IAEA's role in promoting nuclear safety and security. 

The IAEA not only promotes the peaceful uses of nuclear energy but also works to prevent nuclear terrorism and resolve atomic dangers. In addition, it coordinates worldwide aid and offers experience in responding to nuclear emergencies; for instance, the IAEA's participation was crucial in handling the crises and limiting the effects of nuclear accidents, such as the Three Mile Island 1979 accident, Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and the Fukushima Daiichi tragedy in 2011.

About the author
Leivon Victor Lamkang is a postgraduate student at the Department of Politics and International Studies, Pondicherry University.

Also during this week published in This Week in History, Vol. 1 Issue #05, 03 August 2024

4 August 2007: The US launches Phoenix, a mission to Mars
5 August 2011: Yingluck Shinawatra, becomes the first woman Prime Minister of Thailand
29 July 1958: The US establishes NASA
28 July 1821: Peru declares independence from Spain
28 July 2005: IRA announces the end of its armed campaign
28 July 1914: Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia, starting World War-I

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