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The Singapore-IAEA
Story CHIN Siew Fei
Singapore became a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1967 and has had a permanent presence in Vienna since April 2010. The Permanent Mission of Singapore to the IAEA remains in Geneva. Many people often asked me, what my job entailed, over the four years I was based in Vienna. More specifically, they did not quite understand what the IAEA was about, or why a small country such as Singapore with no nuclear power plants or indeed, no nuclear weapons, would have much to do with the Agency. Some may recall the labeling of the Agency as the United Nations (UN) nuclear watchdog and that the IAEA has something to do with the nuclear dossier of Iran or the Democratic Peopleâs Republic of Korea. Few are aware of the important role the IAEA plays in our daily lives. I would like to share with you the Singapore-IAEA story and a couple of myths and facts about the Agency.
Myth: While often called the âUN Agencyâ in news report, the IAEA is not a specialised agency of the UN. It is an independent international organisation. Its relationship with the UN is governed by a special agreement. In accordance with the provisions of its Statute, the IAEA reports annually to the UN General Assembly and, where appropriate, to the UN Security Council.
Half myth: The IAEA is a nuclear watchdog dealing with nuclear non-proliferation issues. Fact: According to its website, the IAEA works for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. Its key roles are to contribute to international peace and security and to the worldâs Millennium Goals for social, economic, and environment development. I am not quite sure whether the ordinary man or woman in the street quite understands this. Whenever the word âatomicâ appears, many would conjure up images of the âmushroom cloudâ during a nuclear bomb detonation, or that nasty radioactive thing which destroys all cells indiscriminately and kills almost immediately whenever one is exposed to it. A certain paranoia may then take hold. We have to thank Hollywood and other foreign production houses for raising our awareness of the extremely destructive nature of nuclear and radioactive material as well as nuclear weapons technology. However, we have to bear in mind that these movies provide a rather simplistic and often inaccurate description of how nuclear weapons and material work.
The Dark Side of Nuclear Technology
It is not my intention to make light of the important role of the IAEA in preventing the spread of nuclear technology for military purposes. Nuclear technology is a double-edged sword. Together with chemical and biological weapons, nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction. When the US dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, two cities were wiped out almost instantaneously â human lives, animals, plants, land and buildings. Those who survived suffered, inter alia, long-term health consequences. Contaminated places took decades of remediation efforts to make sure that the radioactivity was low enough to be safe again for human health, agriculture production, etc. â if ever. For a small island-state like Singapore, any detonation, whether within our territory or in the vicinity, is potentially an existential threat. All the hard work and achievements of more than 50 years could be vaporised in an instant.
For the sake of humanity, we have to work with other countries to ensure that nuclear weapons will never be used again, whether by design, miscalculation or accident. Even a âdirtyâ bomb, made from radioactive material which is more widely available in industrial use, and can be more easily assembled than nuclear weapons, could have a devastating impact on human health, the environment, the economy, or simply the psychology of a nation.
Our long-term aspiration should be a world without nuclear weapons. In the interim, all countries should commit not to conduct any nuclear weapons testing. Those with nuclear weapons should make a real commitment and take concrete steps to reduce their nuclear arsenal steadily to zero. But the nuclear threat can also come from rogue states or terrorists if they acquire nuclear weapons and the capability and means to use them. This is the reason why Singapore works very closely with the IAEA, the UN, and other relevant international organisations to counter nuclear proliferation. Singapore supports the IAEA in maintaining a robust nuclear verification and safeguards system. In broad laymanâs terms, this means that the IAEA inspectors can verify that all the nuclear material, activities, and facilities, both declared or undeclared, within a State and its territories, are exclusively for peaceful purposes.
In addition, through the IAEA and multilateral processes such as the Nuclear Security Summits, we support greater global nuclear security by encouraging all States to secure all nuclear material, activities and facilities, whether in military or civilian holdings, so that they do not fall into the wrong hands, either by theft or through smuggling. Radioactive material, widely used for medical and other industrial purposes should also be properly secured and accounted for to prevent its use in a âdirty bombâ.
The Amazing World of the Peaceful Application of Nuclear Science
We have all, at one stage or another, undergone a medical scan involving X-ray machines for purposes such as the detection of illnesses without unnecessary surgery. Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles or waves to destroy cancer cells. Radioactive material, used in controlled doses by well-trained professionals, can improve the well-being of human beings and the environment. Food irradiation, the exposure of food to carefully controlled amounts of ionising radiation, can eliminate disease-causing micro-organisms such as E. coli and Salmonella, an important contribution to food safety. It can also be used to prolong the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, as it inhibits sprouting and delays ripening.
Using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), populations of key agricultural insect pests can be significantly reduced. It is a form of âbirth controlâ where wild female insects of the targeted pest population cannot reproduce as they are inseminated by the deliberate release of radiation-sterilised males. SIT has been used successfully over the past 50 years. Research is ongoing to see if similar techniques can combat mosquito-based illnesses such as malaria and dengue fever, the latter which plagues countries such as Singapore.
Singapore collaborates with the Agency to promote the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology. In particular, many developing countries do not have the expertise or the equipment to apply such nuclear techniques, or require assistance to make sure that the application of nuclear technology is done in a safe and secure manner. For example, medical health workers should have adequate training to ensure that they do not subject themselves to unnecessary exposure in the conduct of their work using nuclear technology to help others. Singapore has worked with the IAEA to provide training to many developing countries in areas where we have niche expertise such as nuclear medicine, radiotherapy and radiation protection.
Nuclear power generation has been an issue of contention. In many ways, it is a clean and sustainable energy source, compared to fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas. However, we have witnessed the downside of nuclear power generation in three major accidents in the past 30-odd years. The older generation may recall the Three Mile Island and the Chernobyl nuclear accidents. The younger generation will remember the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011 which was caused by a major earthquake and tsunami.
Any technology, including nuclear technology, can fail. The problem with nuclear and radioactive material is its destructive nature when released (and out of control). Chernobyl and Fukushima have demonstrated that the consequences of an accident at a nuclear power plant ignore frontiers. For many years after Chernobyl, many in Europe worried about soil contamination and the impact on human health. The whole food chain was affected. Displaced populations will, in many cases never be able to return, either to Pripyat or to the towns affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident.
It is, therefore, important for the international community to work closely together to ensure that the highest standards of nuclear safety, security and safeguards, or the 3S, are applied in all nuclear power programmes. The â3Sâs do not apply just during the operation of nuclear power plants. They should be applied from the earliest feasibility study stage, site selection, to the eventual decommissioning of the nuclear power plant and the safe, long-term disposal of all spent fuel and other radioactive waste.
Given that natural disasters are increasingly severe, perhaps due to climate change, more care should be applied to site selection. Previous assumptions about the impact of natural hazards on the safe operation of a nuclear power plant, whether new or existing ones, should be reconsidered. We must never be complacent. Nuclear accidents can happen because of human error, malice or technical failure. A robust nuclear safety and security culture, and regulatory and legal infrastructure are as essential as ensuring that all staff are well-trained. In addition, as the majority of nuclear power plants were built more than 30 years ago, regular inspections should be made to ensure their continued safety and if necessary, retrofitting and technical improvements done. Narrow commercial interests about the cost implications of such improvements should not prevail over the risks a nuclear accident may pose. All possible measures should be made to prevent another accident from occurring as all experts believe that it is not a matter of âifâ but âwhenâ the next one may take place. It is with this in mind that at the IAEA and other multilateral fora, Singapore works closely with many countries to ensure that those which choose to deploy nuclear energy for power generation do so in a safe, secure and safeguarded manner so that it can benefit rather than cause harm to the people and the environment.
There is still much more for us to learn. In this regard, Singapore launched the Nuclear Safety Research and Education Programme in April 2014 which comprises two main components: (i) the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI) which focuses on research and developing capabilities in nuclear safety, science and engineering, and (ii) the Nuclear Education and Training Fund (NETF) which will support education and training in these areas. Closer cooperation with the IAEA is important so that we can further benefit from the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology as well as help other developing countries along as we gain more capabilities. It is similarly important for us to understand how to respond and mitigate the consequences in the event of any nuclear accident.
CHIN Siew Fei took up her appointment as Head of Mission and ChargĂ© DâAffaires of the Embassy of Singapore to Brazil in June 2015. She established and headed the Vienna Office of the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the International Atomic Energy Agency from April 2010âJanuary 2015. She was appointed as Singaporeâs Sous-Sherpa to the Nuclear Security Summit process in 2009 and held the position for five years. She has been a member of the Advisory Board of the Vienna Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) since 2011. Her previous assignments at the Singapore Foreign Ministry included those dealing with International Organisations, Europe, Technical Cooperation, International Economics and Northeast Asia. Her other overseas assignments were in Hong Kong during the transition from British to Chinese rule and in Brussels with concurrent accreditation to the European Communities, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the Holy See. Ms Chin graduated with a second upper Honours degree in Philosophy from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the National University of Singapore after being placed on the Deanâs list the year before. She holds a Masters degree in Diplomacy and International Relations from the Diplomatic School of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Spain. Ms Chin was conferred the Commendation Medal of the 2012 Singapore National Day Awards. She speaks English, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
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Singapore and ICAO
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
As a small island State, Singapore is heavily dependent on international civil aviation for its link to the rest of the world as well as its socio-economic development. The connectivity that international civil aviation provides is vital to Singapore being a global city. In addition to its own contribution to Singaporeâs GDP in the order of 6%, aviation is a key enabler of trade, tourism, commerce, investments and other activities which are building Singapore economically.
International Civil Aviation and Singapore-ICAO Cooperation
Unquestionably critical, therefore, to Singapore is the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and its work in providing the framework for the safe, secure, efficient and sustainable development of international civil aviation. ICAO was formed as a UN specialised agency close to the end of World War II when 52 States signed the âConvention on International Civil Aviationâ in Chicago in 1944. The Chicago Convention, as it is widely known, sets out international cooperation, policies and standards for the safe and orderly operations of flights across borders based on equality of opportunity. In line with its mission, ICAO has steadily advanced international civil aviation and grown its membership to 191 Contracting States.
Since joining ICAO in 1966, the aviation sector in Singapore has grown significantly under the international system that the agency has established and enhanced over time, and with the valuable assistance it has provided. Singapore Changi Airport is now one of the worldâs major air hubs handling over 54 million international passengers and 1.8 million tons of airfreight per annum, with about 6,500 weekly scheduled flights operated by over 100 airlines to some 300 cities worldwide. Singapore Airlines is recognised as one of the premier airlines globally, and the various Singapore carriers provide a wide range of options to air travellers. Singapore provides air navigation services of high quality for the Singapore Flight Information Region, which covers an area of 245,000 nm2 into the South China Sea.
Having benefited from the international system, Singapore is actively giving back to the international civil aviation community through and with ICAO. At the highest level, Singapore is a member of the ICAO Council (since 2003) and a Singapore expert is part of the Air Navigation Commission (since 2005). Singapore has also been contributing experts to the ICAO Secretariat and ICAO expert bodies to help shape and develop international Standards and Recommended Practices and guidance materials on international civil aviation. Ten officers from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) are now seconded to the ICAO Secretariat at its Headquarters and Offices in the Asia-Pacific. Singapore currently participates in over 100 ICAO expert bodies covering the full spectrum of international aviation: aviation safety, air traffic management, aviation security, environmental protection, air law, air transport and aviation medicine, with Singapore chairing 17 of these bodies.
Providing Solutions
In the various areas, Singapore strives to help address issues confronting international aviation, providing solutions â both large and in small packages â that have benefited the industry. The failed terrorist plot in August 2006, where there was an attempt to use liquid explosives on some transatlantic commercial flights, led to the immediate ban by Europe and the United States on the carriage of Liquids, Aerosols and Gels (LAGs) on commercial flights; several States followed suit. This led to a patchwork of regulations and proce...
