Saudi Arabia has been elected for membership to the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency for 2022-2024, a state news agency has reported.

The election took place during the 66th IAEA general conference in Vienna. Saudi Arabia has previously served on the board of governors from 2019 to 2021.

The 35-member board, which is in charge of the IAEA’s main policy-making bodies, reviews and approves budgeting, operational programs, safeguard agreements and safety standards.

The board of governors is one of the two policy-making bodies of the IAEA, along with the annual General Conference of IAEA Member States. The board will meet on October 3 to elect its officers.

Saudi Arabia recently donated $3.5 million to two initiatives of the IAEA to support the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Also read: Nuclear Power Makes a Comeback

An amount of $2.5 million was allotted to modernize the IAEA’s Seibersdorf Laboratories (ReNuAL2). An additional $1 million was assigned to support the IAEA's initiative for Zoonotic Diseases Integrated Action (ZODIAC), launched by the IAEA to help prevent the outbreaks of infectious zoonotic diseases with the use of nuclear techniques and to strengthen the preparedness, response and early detection of their causes.   Also read: The Need for Expanding Clean Energy Technology Supply Chains

Earlier this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report that to reach net-zero emissions, nuclear power capacity needs to double to 812 gigawatts (GW) by 2050 from the current 413 GW. It went on to say that annual nuclear power capacity additions need to reach 27 GW by the 2030s. Around 260 GW, or 63%, of nuclear plants in the world are currently over 30 years old and nearing the end of their initial operation licenses.

Also read: Gap in Global Collaboration Can Delay Green Transition by Decades, Notes IEA