Maldives approved as member of the IAEA

Maldives has officially been approved as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), following a vote by the agency’s top decision-making body at its 69th General Conference in Vienna, Austria.

The Maldives submitted its application for membership in November last year. The majority of existing IAEA member states supported the application, leading to the country's acceptance into the agency.

The Maldivian delegation to the conference was led by Dr. Salma Rasheed, the country’s Permanent Representative to Geneva. In her address, Dr. Salma highlighted the challenges faced by small island developing states and emphasized the importance of international cooperation to find scientific and technological solutions to these challenges.

She described Maldives' membership in the IAEA as a significant national milestone and a reflection of the international community’s recognition of the role small nations play in global security and sustainable development.

Dr. Salma also noted that IAEA membership would enable the Maldives to access technical assistance in healthcare, food security, and human resource development. She mentioned the country’s intent to work with the agency to expand nuclear medicine and radiation therapy for cancer treatment, as well as to acquire technological tools to support sustainable development goals.