BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. Lithuania has been elected to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the period from 2025 through 2027 during the organization’s 69th General Conference held in Vienna, Austria, on September 15–19, Trend reports.
Acting Minister of Energy Žygimantas Vaičiūnas called the election a “long-awaited moment,” noting that Lithuania had been seeking the position for nearly 20 years.
“As members of the Board of Governors, we will continue to strongly support the IAEA’s mission to promote the use of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes and to prevent the misuse of nuclear materials. In today’s geopolitical context, it is particularly important to preserve the organization’s independence and professionalism, to which we will contribute constructively,” Vaičiūnas said.
Lithuania’s membership will allow the country to push for the strict application of nuclear and radiation safety standards worldwide. Lithuania also plans to advocate for broader adherence to international conventions and codes of conduct, while strongly supporting the IAEA’s technical cooperation programs. These initiatives focus on areas such as nuclear facility decommissioning, radioactive waste management, and nuclear safety.
In addition, Lithuania will support the robust implementation of safeguards agreements with the IAEA to help prevent nuclear materials from being diverted from peaceful use.
This appointment marks Lithuania’s second tenure on the IAEA Board of Governors, having previously served from 2007 to 2009. The Board, one of the agency’s two principal policy-making bodies alongside the General Conference, comprises 35 member states. It holds critical responsibilities, including oversight of the IAEA’s budget, financial statements, annual reports, and the formulation of key policy decisions. Currently, the IAEA represents a global membership of 181 states, reflecting its broad international mandate.