Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion: AUKUS update to IAEA Board of Governors

Thank you, Chair.

I have the honour of speaking on behalf of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States to provide an update to the Board of Governors on Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion (NNP) program.

Chair,

Bilateral consultations between Australia and the Agency on the safeguards and verification approach for Australia’s program, including an arrangement under Article 14 of Australia’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA), are ongoing.

As the Director General stated in his report to this Board last November, these consultations are guided by the relevant provisions of the Agency’s Statute, and Australia’s CSA and Additional Protocol (AP). The topics under discussion include the structure and content of Australia’s Article 14 arrangement; provisions for advance notification, reporting and verification prior to the entry of nuclear material into the arrangement; and the circumstances under which the arrangement will apply.

Technical discussions also continue on ways to facilitate possible verification and monitoring activities, and on the structure of material balance areas, facilities and sites at relevant locations in Australia, within the framework of Australia’s CSA and AP.

Chair,

We reaffirm the fundamental commitment that ensures our approach sets the highest non-proliferation standard. Australia’s program will be subject to a robust package of safeguards and verification measures, enabling the Agency to continue to fulfil its technical objectives for Australia at all stages. Throughout the lifecycle of Australia’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines the Agency will continue to verify that there has been no diversion of nuclear material, no misuse of facilities, and no undeclared nuclear material or activities in Australia.

As the Director General has stated, Australia’s Article 14 arrangement, once finalised, will be referred to this Board for appropriate action – which we fully support. When the Article 14 arrangement comes before the Board of Governors, in the fullness of time, we expect it to be judged on its non-proliferation merits, on the basis of the Director General’s technical assessment.

Chair,

We remain committed to updating the Board on relevant developments concerning our three countries’ cooperation on NNP, as we have done since September 2021.

Australia is continuing to build our capacity to operate and maintain our future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines through support and training from the US and UK. To this end, consistent with the phased approach we announced in March 2023, Australia is receiving regular port visits from American nuclear-powered submarines at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia – which will continue and be supplemented in future by UK visiting submarines. There is a long history of US and UK submarines visiting Australia, and port visits by many nations are carried out regularly around the world.  Our cooperation is proceeding in full compliance with AUKUS partners’ respective international obligations, including Australia’s obligations under its CSA and AP, and under the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty.

As the Director General confirmed in his report last November, the Agency continues to undertake independent verification activities in relation to Australia’s program; and Australia continues to provide the Agency all information required under its CSA and AP.

Chair,

We support the Director General’s ongoing commitment to report to the Board on NNP programs, as he judges appropriate. He did this last November, and he has also done so at this Board in the Safeguards Implementation Report for 2024. We continue to welcome technically focused discussions at the Board, under agenda items proposed by the Director General and guided by his reporting.

AUKUS partners remain committed to transparency and setting the highest non-proliferation standard for Australia’s NNP program. We welcome opportunities to present information and address genuine questions regarding Australia’s NNP program. Since 2023 we have co-hosted a side event on our non-proliferation approach at each NPT PrepCom meeting – most recently on 1 May in New York. We will continue to provide updates to the Board and in other fora, as appropriate.

Thank you, Chair.