Purpose, Objective, and Scope of IAEA Safeguards

IAEA Board of Governors meeting.

(Source: Dean Calma/IAEA)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is responsible for providing credible assurance to the international community that all states with safeguards agreements are meeting their commitments. The purpose of IAEA Safeguards Systems is to provide this assurance. In order to ensure the technical goals and objectives of IAEA safeguards systems can be implemented, common terms and definitions must be agreed upon. The following will provide the necessary explanation of frequent terms used in connection with safeguards objectives and the scope of applications of safeguards relevant to most safeguards agreements and the additional protocol.

Terms Included in this Chapter

1. Assurance of non-diversion of nuclear material
2. Assurance of the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities
3. Diversion
4. Non-compliance
5. Objectives of IAEA Safeguards
6. Scope of IAEA safeguards
7. Undeclared activities
8. Undeclared nuclear material