Australia will assume Chair of the Asia-Pacific Safeguards Network (APSN) for 2025-2026, as announced at APSN’s 15th Annual General Meeting on 6 November in Krabi, Thailand.
Director General Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) Dr Geoffrey Shaw will represent Australia as Chair and ASNO will serve as the Secretariat.
“Australia’s vision for the appointment will include a greater focus on advancing gender equality, encouraging Pacific engagement and senior representation at APSN,” Dr Shaw said.
APSN is a professional network that draws upon nuclear safeguards expertise in the Asia-Pacific to facilitate the exchange of information, knowledge and practical experience among Members, and strengthen nuclear safeguards capabilities in the region.
As a founding member, Australia has had an instrumental role in shaping and building APSN, including through ASNO’s role as the technical lead for APSN’s Safeguards Infrastructure Implementation Working Group.
ASNO was previously Chair from 2010-2014, when APSN was first formed.
Membership of APSN has now grown to 16 Member States plus several observers, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“Australia is focused on making meaningful and practical contributions to support non-proliferation, including by working with our partners to enhance treaty implementation in our region. APSN is key to these efforts,” Dr Shaw said.
The work of APSN is underpinned by several thematic Working Groups, which bring communities of practitioners together to address different nuclear safeguards challenges.
As part of the role as Chair, Australia will host APSN’s 16th Annual Meeting for the first time in 2025.
“We thank the outgoing Chair, Thailand, and outgoing Steering Committee Head, Japan, for their successful leadership of APSN for 2023-2024,” Dr Shaw said.
