Monaco is taking part in the 69th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is being held in Vienna until Friday, September 19. The Monegasque delegation is led by Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Department of External Relations and Cooperation.
In her address to the general debate, Rosabrunetto welcomed the IAEA’s efforts to safeguard nuclear facilities in Ukraine, highlighting the deployment of the Agency’s support and assistance mission at Zaporizhzhia. She also reaffirmed Monaco’s backing for the IAEA’s work in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology, particularly in areas linked to environmental protection and human health.
Rosabrunetto recalled the personal commitment of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II to tackling climate change and safeguarding the oceans. She pointed to the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF), hosted in Monaco earlier this year alongside the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, which brought together around 1,800 participants from nearly 100 countries. The event, recognised as a UN Ocean Conference Special Event, illustrated the Principality’s engagement on these issues.
Monaco also underlined the importance of the IAEA’s Marine Environmental Laboratories, which have been based in the Principality since 1961. These laboratories play a central role in the NUTEC Plastics Initiative, designed to combat marine plastic pollution. Through this programme, they provide technical support to a global network of more than 100 laboratories tasked with monitoring marine plastic waste and exploring the use of ionising radiation in recycling processes.
On health, Rosabrunetto reiterated Monaco’s support for the IAEA’s “Rays of Hope” initiative, which promotes access to radiotherapy in countries where such treatment is not available. The programme now benefits nearly 90 countries, including several that are priority partners for Monaco’s international development cooperation.
The Principality’s intervention in Vienna reaffirmed its commitment to international cooperation in nuclear science and technology, focused on sustainability, environmental stewardship and human well-being.
