Discurso do Representante Permanente Alterno, Embaixador João Genésio de Almeida Filho, em reunião do Conselho de Segurança sobre Ameaças à Paz Internacional (IAEA e a Usina Nuclear de Zaporizhzia) - 30 de maio de 2023 (texto em inglês)

Thank you, Mister President.

Let me start by congratulating Switzerland for an impecable presidency of this organ during the month of May. I would like also to underline the awesome cooperation between the delegations of Brazil and Switzerland, during this period when we have coincided as ellected members of the Security Council.

Allow me also to thank Director-General Grossi for his detailed and very important briefing.

Brazil is a strong supporter of the IAEA. We have been especially appreciative of the Agency's recent efforts to enhance transparency and trust and to ensure the safe and secure operation of nuclear facilities in challenging dossiers. We believe the Agency has played and should continue to play a key role in ensuring the safety and security of nuclear facilities, in a way that is de-politicized and open to dialogue with all stakeholders. As Director-General Grossi has said in this Council on previous occasions: nuclear accidents do not recognize borders.

We are encouraged by the fact that the IAEA has been able to keep a permanent presence at Zaporizhzia Nuclear Power Plant, providing both technical support for operations through its experts as well as timely updates on the plant's functioning through its public-facing communications. We strongly support IAEA's "Seven Pillars" of nuclear safety and security in armed conflict and we welcome reports that the plant continues to have sufficient staff for the safe operation of the plant.

We are nevertheless concerned by the reiterated disruptions to the plant's only existing external power line, which was temporarily disconnected last week for the seventh time. Each of these disruptions raises the risk of a nuclear accident. These repeated disruptions to plant operations also make the system less safe. Upholding the "Seven Pillars" requires preserving secure off-site power at all times.

Brazil welcomes the proposal presented today by the director general on the "Five Principles" for addressing the situation in the ZNPP. These principles represent an adequate solution for the political pitfalls that have thus far prevented full implementation of the Seven Pillars of Nuclear Safety and Security in the plant. We call on both parties to the conflict to individually confirm to the IAEA their intention to adhere to those principles, which represent the best way to avoid a nuclear catastrophe until a complete cessation of hostilities can be achieved. We hope that future reports by the DG on the situation in the ZNPP will include information on the implementation of the five principles.

Brazil cannot stress enough how critical is the importance of safe and secure nuclear facilities.

Mister President,

The Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC) is a success story with potential lessons. As recognized by the UNGA resolution 76/52, adopted by consensus in December 2021, the Agency has been an "effective bilateral confidence-building mechanism, with positive effects for peace and security at the subregional and regional levels".

We are fully aware that we cannot draw a direct parallel to the current situation in Ukraine and that the objectives of ABACC are not related to safety of nuclear facilities. Nevertheless, that experience in our region may inspire us to think on how to explore cooperation on technical issues as an effective confidence-building measure.

Cooperation at the technical level can in fact be a driver for dialogue in other areas, contributing to a positive cycle, as Brazil and Argentina have now sustained for over three decades. We hope to tap on that experience and on the contribution of regional mechanisms for cooperation and peace and security during our presidency, in October.

Mister President,

Despite the divergent perspectives on how the conflict in Ukraine should be resolved, there is a consensus on the need to prevent a nuclear disaster to take place in Zaporizhia.

A radius of protection of the plant must be ensured and this should be seen as an opportunity to establish confidence-building measures among all the different parties involved.

The Agency and other partners could help facilitate this process, but it still requires political will from all actors directly involved.

And I thank you.