 Ladies and gentlemen, it is a pleasure to be here with you today to mark the 25th anniversary of the opening for signature of the Treaty of Pelindaba. Let me start by recalling that though the treaty was opened for signature in 1996, Africa was among the first regions where countries declared their readiness to establish a continental nuclear weapon free zone. In 1964, at its first summit in Cairo, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the then Organization of African Unity adopted the Declaration on the De-Nuclearization of Africa. This similar declaration was subsequently endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly. In 1991, taking advantage of the new developments in the international arena, African states commenced the process of implementing the 1964 declaration with the first meeting in Aris Ababa, of AAU-UN-established Joint Group of Experts. The IAA was with you in this process back then. We assisted in the development of the treaty, including through participation in meetings and workshops and provision of technical expertise, as should be expected. The entry into force of the Treaty of Pelindaba in 2009 was highly significant for the nonproliferation architecture by expanding the coverage of nuclear weapon free zones. I commend African states for having had the vision, the courage and the perseverance to bring to life a treaty that protects current and future generations. The IAEA is the competent authority responsible for verifying that African states are indeed complying with their undertakings under the NPT and the Pelindaba Treaty. It provides assurances through the implementation of safeguards that nuclear material is used exclusively for peaceful purposes. Article 9 and Annex II of the Pelindaba Treaty on the Verification of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy are especially important as they strengthen the international safeguards system. Since the entry into force of the Treaty of Pelindaba in 2009, we have also assisted our member states who are parties to the treaty through our legislative assistance program. Thirty-six parties and nine signatories have received assistance from the IAEA. But we are not alone in this effort. I applaud the determination and work of AFCON in recent years to strengthen the capacity of the parties to the treaty in implementing their safeguards agreements with the agency. The agency cooperates with AFCON in this area through joint capacity building activities and by supporting its latest initiative of establishing AFCON collaborating centers in nuclear safeguards. Ladies and gentlemen, the benefits of the Treaty of Pelindaba transcend the nuclear non-proliferation area. The treaty promotes confidence in the region and it paves the way for the advancement of the peaceful use of nuclear technology on the continent. And just like back in the 1990s, the IAEA is in this with you now. We are currently assisting Benin, Burkina, Chad, Malawi, Niger, and Togo to establish their first radiotherapy centers to facilitate access to cancer screening, treatment and care. The IAEA is also supporting 48 veterinary laboratories in 45 African member states through the VETLAB network to strengthen their capacities in early warning, in risk reduction and management of national and global health risks. In several African countries including Kenya, Mauritania, Senegal and Sudan, we have used nuclear technologies such as Nitrogen 15, that is a stable non-radioactive isotope of nitrogen, and Moisture nutrient probe to develop climate smart agriculture practices for strategic application of nutrients and water to enhance food security. Ladies and gentlemen, more than 700 million people in the world have no access to electricity and two-thirds of them live in Africa. No continent should be left behind. Nuclear power is a clean, reliable, sustainable energy source that has and will allow us to decarbonize. In some countries, there may be too little electricity demand to warrant a traditional nuclear reactor, but the industry is working on new technologies that would overcome this challenge in the near future through small modular reactors and micro-reactors. 27 countries worldwide are considering planning or actively working to include nuclear power in their energy mix, and 13 of them are in Africa. Establishing a successful nuclear power program is a major undertaking. It requires careful planning, good preparation and investment. And this is where the IAEA can help by providing guidance, advice, training and review services. We are going to be with you every step of the way. Training is very important and a big part of what the IAEA does. Africa has nine research reactors currently in operation. These centers of innovation provide multiple services, from education to the production of medical radioisotopes. The benefits of nuclear are great and have been repeatedly proven. But like other technologies, nuclear carries risks, which must be managed carefully. This is another area in which the IAEA plays a key central role. During our expert missions, teams visit radiation facilities, offering them guidance and advice. The agency has developed training material and specific guidance on radiation protection of patients. African countries considering embarking on new nuclear programs can benefit from our peer review and advisory services. We provide legal, regulatory and technical advice as well as capacity building through training. The agency also provides assistance to Africa in strengthening the nuclear security legal and regulatory framework in securing radioactive material in use, storage and transport and in developing appropriate human resources in all of these areas. In fact, parties to the Treaty of Pelindava undertake to maintain the highest standards of security and effective physical protection of nuclear material, facilities and equipment. An important service provided to member states by the IAEA are the International Physical Protection Advisory Services, IPAS, which assist them in strengthening their national nuclear security system. Up to now, 90 missions like these IPAS missions have been conducted in 54 member states, including five in four African countries. Seven IPAS missions are planned to be conducted next year in 2021, including a few in Africa. I urge all our African member states to take advantage of all these opportunities that the IAEA is presenting to you. Their support can make a difference in your communities. Ladies and gentlemen, I trust that the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the opening for signature of the Pelindava Treaty will provide a new impetus for the remaining signatories to bring the treaty into force in their countries. And I hope it will lead to more action in enhancing safeguards implementation capacity and in ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear technology in Africa. You can continue counting on us.