IAEA Holds Safeguards Symposium

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held an international symposium for member states to discuss the future of verification capabilities for ensuring the peaceful uses of nuclear materials and technologies. More than 90 states participated in the Nov. 5–8 conference in Vienna. The conference is held every four years. Massimo Aparo, head of the IAEA Department of Safeguards, said that “effective safeguards provide assurances to the entire world that nuclear material remains in peaceful use” and the symposium focused on “seeking innovation, strengthening partnerships, and improving our work.”

The conference centered on four thematic areas: addressing such emerging safeguards challenges as additive manufacturing, leveraging advancements in technologies such as artificial intelligence and image processing for advancing safeguards, developing processes for safeguarding new types of facilities, and shaping the future of safeguards implementation.

Aparo said that “promising technology and techniques of relevance to safeguards” were discussed. The symposium also focused on improving coordination between the IAEA and member states and on capacity-building efforts.—KELSEY DAVENPORT