Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt, in its capacity as current chair of the Council of Arab Ambassadors in Vienna, led a high-level meeting between the group of Arab ambassadors and Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The meeting was chaired by Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and international organizations in Vienna, Ambassador Mohamed Nasr.
Ambassador Nasr emphasized the Arab Group’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the IAEA across all areas within its mandate. He particularly highlighted the importance of expanding technical cooperation and capacity-building programs, especially with the State of Palestine. The ambassador underscored the significance of the Agency’s contribution to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and the fulfillment of urgent humanitarian needs for the Palestinian people, in accordance with the resolution adopted at the IAEA General Conference in September 2025.
That resolution calls for extending the Agency’s technical cooperation with Palestine to include projects and support in Gaza.
The discussions also addressed the role of the IAEA in supporting efforts to establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction. Participants reaffirmed the need to fully implement the IAEA’s resolution on applying comprehensive safeguards across the Middle East, without exception or discrimination.
The meeting reflected a shared Arab commitment to advancing cooperation with the IAEA in peaceful nuclear applications, promoting regional stability, and ensuring that nuclear technologies are used to support sustainable development and humanitarian goals in the region.
