President Jacob Zuma today, 14 April 2010, concluded his working visit to the United States where he attended a nuclear security summit.
The summit, which was convened by United states President Barack Obama, saw 47 countries agree on a communiqué where they committed to securing nuclear materials by 2014. The countries also undertook to ensure effective security of the nuclear material that they possessed.
The leaders pledged to prevent the illegal obtaining of information or technology required to use nuclear material for malicious purposes. All countries agreed to adhere to a list of best practices and recognise a need for cooperation to effectively prevent and respond to incidents of illicit nuclear trafficking.
President Zuma said he was confident that all countries would adhere to these undertakings and said all leaders present had shown much commitment in the fight against nuclear terrorism.
In its contribution at the summit, South Africa emphasised that the only way to combat nuclear terrorism would be the complete and irreversible elimination of nuclear weapons.
Addressing the summit, President Zuma said it was important that emphasis be placed on a multilateral approach in order to uphold the centrality of the United Nations. President Zuma also said that it was important for states to pool their resources in fighting terrorism globally and that; multilateral systems should be strengthened to deal with such efforts.
President Zuma praised the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in efforts to strengthen nuclear security. President Zuma said the summit should not seek to replace the work of institutions such as IAEA but rather support and complement their work.
"We all know that the IAEA remains the internationally recognised competent authority responsible for verifying and assuring compliance with safeguards agreements to prevent the diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons.
"Nothing should be done to undermine the authority of the IAEA and it should have adequate resources to fulfil its mandate," he said.
President Zuma departs Washington for Brasilia in Brazil to attend the fourth IBSA summit which brings together the leaders of India, Brazil and South Africa.
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Vincent Magwenya
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Issued by: The Presidency
14 April 2010
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/)
