Formation of IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency was established on July 29, 1957, when its founding statute entered into force. Rooted in U.S. President Eisenhower's 1953 "Atoms for Peace" address to the UN General Assembly, the statute was negotiated by twelve countries and approved on October 23, 1956. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, the IAEA operates as an autonomous organization within the United Nations system, promoting peaceful nuclear energy applications, establishing safety standards, and verifying through inspections that nuclear materials are not diverted to military purposes.