Speech by the Second Secretary, Karlén Isrober Regaiferos Cruzata, representing the Cuban delegation to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency. March 3-7, 2025.
Item 5: Nuclear Security: Nuclear Security Review 2025
Madam Chair:
We thank the Director General and the Secretariat for the preparation of document GOV/2025/6 of which we take note and accordingly issue the following considerations in our national capacity.
Nuclear Security is a priority issue, with important implications for all, so its effective management does not admit exclusions or selectivity, requiring shared effort and commitment. We value positively the work of the Agency in achieving consensual approaches to Nuclear Security.
In this regard, while recognizing the fundamental responsibility of each State to ensure its own nuclear security, we appreciate the importance of complementing national efforts with international cooperation from both other States and the IAEA.
President:
We are very concerned about the persistence of undue restrictions on exports of peaceful nuclear materials, equipment and technologies to some developing countries. Such restrictions should be removed immediately.
In this regard, while recognizing the fundamental responsibility of each State to ensure its own nuclear security, we appreciate the importance of complementing national efforts with international cooperation from both other States and the IAEA.
President:
We are very concerned about the persistence of undue restrictions on exports of peaceful nuclear materials, equipment and technologies to some developing countries. Such restrictions must be removed immediately.
In this context, once again, we are forced to denounce in this Conference that our country has been and continues to be a victim of these restrictions and prohibitions, as part of the cruel and illegal blockade policy applied for more than 60 years against Cuba by the government of the United States.
In spite of these effects, Cuba will continue to allocate significant human and material resources to guarantee the safe handling of nuclear materials; and with its proven vocation of solidarity and support for multilateralism, it will continue to share its experiences in this field with other countries in need.
As the report points out, my country has hosted several courses on nuclear security and on conducting transport security inspections, in addition to the preparations for holding a regional workshop in April on the universalization of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment.
The support offered by the Agency for the Nuclear Security Support Centers (NSSCs) is vital for Cuba. Our aspiration is to turn our training center into a reference institution for the region and thus contribute to nuclear security training.
Madam President:
The Cuban State attaches a high value to the SFN, and this has been embodied in our legal framework and in the planning of the periodic activities that make up the INSSP Plan Project for the 2026-2030 cycle, which may soon be evaluated by the Agency.
In this regard, the new Decree Law on the use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation establishes a comprehensive approach to nuclear security with nuclear and radiological safety and nuclear safeguards.
We reiterate our willingness to contribute to the substantive discussions on security and to give continuity to the proposals and agreements made between Cuba and the Agency during the International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS 2024).
Thank you very much.