By Daspina Hasanova

Copyright trend

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

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