IAEA TACC Meeting – Agenda Item 4 – Technical Cooperation – Evaluation of Technical Cooperation Activities in 2022
U.S. Statement as Delivered by Counselor for Nuclear Affairs Lucy M. Chang
Vienna, Austria, November 14, 2022
Chair,
The United States commends the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) for its evaluation of technical cooperation activities in 2022, as contained in IAEA document GOV/2022/46. The report underscores the key role that OIOS plays in increasing the IAEA’s efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability.
We express our continued support for OIOS’ important role of independently reviewing and evaluating the work of the IAEA. We urge the Secretariat to continue to implement OIOS recommendations within the timeframe stipulated and to emphasize transparency and results-based management by providing additional metrics for evaluating the impact of IAEA projects.
We appreciate the work undertaken by OIOS to complete six Country-Level Evaluation and Audits in Bangladesh, Kuwait, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, noting its increased review of six countries in 2022 compared to four in 2021 and three in 2020. The increased review of countries provides greater assurance of the IAEA’s activities and insight into how to strengthen them.
We further note with great appreciation the efforts by OIOS to synthesize results and report on cross-cutting risks and issues from these reviews. This synthesis identified important common challenges to project sustainability, design, and management which the Agency should consider carefully how to address in subsequent analysis. We particularly note the recommendation to the Secretariat to strengthen the incorporation of gender mainstreaming considerations in the Agency’s work and encourage the Agency’s continued efforts in this area. We also welcome the Secretariat’s efforts to introduce more effective project monitoring systems to track implementation of TC activities.
We welcome the OIOS evaluation of the quality review process in the TC Program. We draw particular attention to the OIOS finding that the TC program quality review process made a significant contribution to the quality of project designs and implementation in Member States, thus helping Member States in their national development objectives and related Sustainable Development Goals. We further note the OIOS observations that project design, management, and sustainability of achievements can be improved across activities in Member States. We encourage coordination and communication within the Agency as well as with other UN organizations, relevant development agencies, and
partners to increase the effectiveness of IAEA programs. We further encourage implementation of knowledge management best practices across the Agency to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the TC Program.
Finally, we underscore the important work of the IAEA in supporting regional and South-South exchanges as a tool for sharing lessons learned and knowledge transfer. We welcome the plan for further review of regional projects in 2023 as an opportunity to strengthen the IAEA approach to planning and implementing regional projects.
Chair,
With these comments, the United States takes note of this year’s OIOS Evaluation Report as contained in IAEA document GOV/2022/46.
Thank you, Chair.