Farewell Speech By Excellency Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, Ambassador & Permanent Representative Of Ghana On The Occasion Of Her Handing Over As Chair Of The Board Of Governors Of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 22nd September 2025
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Director-General of the IAEA, Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi,
Distinguished Governors
Distinguished colleagues
Dear IAEA staff
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Let me begin by saying how privileged I feel to have had the opportunity to serve you, Members of the Board of Governors of the IAEA. Your encouragement and confidence during my tenure is much appreciated.
Ghana’s tenure as Board Chair of the IAEA for the term 2024-2025 has been rewarding and fulfilling and has given me the opportunity to gain valuable experience in diplomacy, consensus building and resilience. Memories which will forever be etched in my heart.
I started this journey on 28th January 2025, when I took over Ghana’s unexpired term as Board Chair of the IAEA for the term 2024 to 2025, with a bit of the “unknown” as I had never sat in or experienced how the IAEA Board sessions are conducted and knew little or next to nothing about what to expect.
Yet, you all embraced me and from the very first day I walked in here, the friendly and warm reception, the smiling faces bore the “Vienna spirit”.
Again, I started this journey with an acknowledgment and gratitude that the world continues to embrace the capabilities of women and I repeat what I said in January and paraphrased that it takes a great man to be a leader but it takes an even greater man to support a woman to be a leader. I’m most grateful to all our great women and men alike here today.
Other great men and even greater women helped me to succeed. For this, I am eternally grateful to my own father, the late William Kobla Alomatu. Inspired by the strong consensus seeking woman I have ever known, my late mother, Cecilia Taylor Alomatu, I was determined to soldier on.
Great men, such as our very own Kofi Annan, the 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations and even greater women, such as Her Excellency Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the first female Vice President of Ghana, have also inspired me.
Emphasising our specific setting here, it was an awesome period for me based on the level of support I received from all angles. The constant “what can I do to help”, don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything I can do to help….”..,”I’m always available.. you can count on me”. These were not just platitudes. Colleagues meant it and this played out in how several contentious issues were resolved before the start of Board sessions. Even if they did get resolved seconds before our sessions.
Assessing Ghana’s tenure, the question will be, did we work together and with relevant partners to promote the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. ? Did we capitalise on technical cooperation programmes to assist Member States and did we promote the exchange of scientific and technical information for the benefit of Member States? I believe we will collectively be the judge of ourselves. I recall one Governor saying “it is not easy to get your first black woman photo on the wall of the office as Board Chair”. I can attest to that, but I can also attest to the hopelessly devoted colleagues who wanted success chalked together.
Yes, we have had and continue to experience challenging moments compounded by the poly-crisis of geopolitics as well as the financial crisis of the system-wide United Nations. Yet, if I may say so myself, I listened to Member States recount successes chalked from their respective collaborations with the IAEA. As someone said, how do you get the olive oil if we don’t squeeze or crush the olive? In certain instances, we have been squeezed and crushed all in a bid to enhance our common objectives based on our memberships of the IAEA.
Under the flagship initiatives in Nuclear Science, Technology and Applications, the far-reaching cross-cutting initiatives that the IAEA has made available to states from Atoms4Food, NUclear TEChnology for Controlling Plastic Pollution (NUTEC Plastics), Rays of Hope and Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC) Atoms4water have all, perhaps reigned supreme. I must mention the most recent advancement we witnessed in the mobile E-beam technology as well as the highlight of the Atoms4water at the Scientific Forum of the just-ended General Conference.
In January this year, for me, all of the initiatives mentioned were just on paper but I have now witnessed their positive effects on communities as I visualised the “befores” and “afters” with IAEA projects/collaborations across the globe and in my own country Ghana.
All of these come to light when I recall scenes of hundreds of cancer patients, including my parents, seeking the right diagnoses and targeted treatment yet the equipment required is not available or if available, is located hundreds of miles away. Scenes of little children, including me trying to reach potable water and carrying buckets of same on our heads after so many journeys, scenes of not knowing where ones next meal will be coming from due to food insecurity. Scenes of plastics strewn all over our cities ending up in our oceans and the fish we consume if we can even get them alive, fears of another possible zoonotic outbreak and the assurances that the IAEA initiative towards the early detection and prevention are crucial to support wellbeing, livelihoods and socioeconomic status of billions of people worldwide.
We must massively enhance support for these IAEA initiatives.
We continue to take advantage of initiatives under Marie-Curie and Lisa Meitner Programmes to mobilise and support women in the various nuclearrelated fields. It was therefore with joy that I again, witnessed what opportunities have been given to our young women during the side event at the 69th General Conference on “Shaping The Future: Empowering Women and Youth in Nuclear Science Across Africa and Asia Through Competitions”. It was a joy to see these young women break barriers into male-dominated areas, including some from my own country, Ghana.
In strengthening Nuclear Safety and Security, we followed the DirectorGeneral’s, work in specific countries and literally walked by his side as we monitored the Agency’s work and followed the news, asking the tough questions and proffering suggestions.
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We exchanged views and took decisions on various issues under Nuclear Energy with renewed emphasis on the clean energy transition, small modular reactors, capacity building, among others.
One of the most animated topics was under nuclear Safeguards and yet again, our collective resolve to assist the Agency through diplomacy, though tough, showed some traction and the willingness of the Agency and Member States to mediate, promote dialogue, and negotiate to agree on positive steps.
When I hear words of encouragement and recognition of successes chalked, especially with the efficiency system in managing our proceedings at the Board, which is now entrenched, I again recall our collective resolve to make things work, through the Swiss proposal kindly made available by Ambassador Matteo Fachinotti, which enjoyed massive support when it was introduced to Governors. It is a mirror of how other well-meaning initiatives can have broad consensus and even show flexibility with difficult ones.
The discussions on our Programme and Budget for 2026-2027, led by Ambassadors Rapulane Molekane of South Africa and Barbara Cullinane of Ireland is a testament to our collective efforts and we remain grateful to both Ambassadors for their tireless efforts.
We have engaged and continue to do so on issues related to the Sovereign equality of IAEA Member states, though not easy, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Ambassador Gustavo Zlauvinen of Argentina, supported by so many of us, I say kudos.
Let me conclude, by once again, extending heartfelt gratitude to all distinguished Board members, IAEA Member states, colleagues for the confidence and trust that you have placed in my country, Ghana. It has been a great privilege and honour to have worked closely with all of you throughout my journey.
To my African group that had the deep conviction that Ghana could still be trusted, thank you for the strong support.
To my Vice Chairs, distinguished governors of Belgium and Armenia, Excellencies Ms. Caroline Vermeulen and Mr. Andranik Hovhannisyan, respectively, I can confidently say that you had my back (and maybe my front as well).
I have enjoyed massive collaboration from all Regional and other groups, no matter their permutations: the G77 and China, the EU, Eastern European group, Asia-Pacific, Latin America the WOEG, Arab group.
I deeply appreciate the Director-General of the IAEA, Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi, the secretariat and the conference services team, entire staff of the IAEA, interpreters, précis writers, security officers, janitors and all stakeholders. It is not my intention to leave anyone out.
I thank the entire staff from the Embassy and Permanent Mission, and I must single out my deputy, Mr. Paul Nana Sei Osei and Minister Counsellor, Ms. Henrietta Baah for the indefatigable commitment and for being my eyes and ears.
I recognise the assistance from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Ghana, particularly the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and the National Regulatory Authority.
To my country, Ghana, led by the President, Excellency John Dramani Mahama and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who have been immensely supportive, I remain grateful.
With your permission, please, please, allow me to also acknowledge the patience exhibited by my children, Amaris and Antonio Osei-Agyeman who accommodated my absences and unavailability.
To my successor, the distinguished Governor of Australia, Ambassador Ian Biggs, I wish you the very best. I know you will enjoy the same collaboration that was extended to me, if not more. Your expertise, skillset and deep understanding of the IAEA already speak for itself. I’m always available to lend a helping hand.
Thank you.
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