Committees

Type: General Assembly

About

Welcome to the International Atomic Energy Agency! Delegates in this crucial United Nations organization will spend the weekend either debating Cybersecurity in Nuclear Facilities or Illicit Nuclear Trafficking. Both of these issues are paramount to preserving national and global safety and paving the way towards a less anxiety-filled future. As such, potential solutions must be thorough and possess great attention to detail if they are to be effective.

As technology advances, so does the use of it in nuclear facilities. While this is great for productivity and operations, it does leave these installations more liable to cyber attacks that jeopardize nuclear safety, as larger systems make for more prominent targets for bad actors. The question becomes to what extent do security measures need to be taken and perhaps more importantly, by whom? Is this a responsibility for the IAEA, or can states and even the facilities themselves be trusted to safeguard against potential attacks if given the right advice and training? This topic, like many others, involves balancing ensuring global security while not infringing on national sovereignty.

On another note, nuclear materials obviously require great care to prevent any disasters. So when they end up in the wrong hands with the purpose of being illegally trafficked, major alarm is raised. A recent report from the UN, in conjunction with the IAEA, cites concerns regarding the use of radioactively contaminated materials entering industrial supply chains undetected, as well as the frequency of which theft of nuclear and radioactive substances occur while in transit. Disagreements on how to address these trends arise with regards to the actual severity of the issue and how to most effectively tackle the problem; some argue for the targeting of criminal networks, while others emphasize bolstering infrastructure systems. These are certainly not the only two schools of thought, making the ability to collaborate key to most optimally addressing this issue.

We are confident that this committee will produce fruitful debate and creative solutions. Working diligently and diplomatically in the International Atomic Energy Agency will prove challenging, fun, and worthwhile for delegates of varying experience levels, developing both soft skills and increased expertise in atomic energy policy.