About IAEA

• The International Atomic Energy Agency is the world’s central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical co-operation in the nuclear field. 

• It works for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, contributing to international peace and security and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
• The IAEA is an autonomous international organization within the United Nations system. It partners with more than a dozen UN organizations, thereby helping extend the reach of its services. 
• IAEA reports annually to the UN General Assembly.
• Created in 1957, the IAEA Secretariat is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
• Total Membership: 173 (including India).

• The main functions of the IAEA are to: 
  • encourage and assist research, development and practical application of atomic energy for peaceful uses throughout the world; 
  • establish and administer safeguards designed to ensure that such activity assisted by the Agency is not used to further any military purpose; 
  • apply safeguards to relevant activities at the request of Member States; 
  • apply, under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and other international treaties, mandatory comprehensive safeguards in non-nuclear weapon States (NNWS) Parties to such treaties.

Why in News?

• The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has raised grave concern about shelling at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine by Russian forces.

Reference

https://newsonair.gov.in/News?title=IAEA-raises-concern-about-shelling-at-nuclear-power-plant-in-Ukraine&id=445622