KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has been elected as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the term 2009-2010, according to the Malaysian Foreign Ministry on Monday.

    The ministry said this is the second time in the history for Malaysia to have been elected to chair the IAEA Board.

    The Special Session of the Board of Governors of the Agency to be held on Sept. 22 will formally endorse the chairmanship of Malaysia, the ministry said in a press release.

    Arshad M. Hussain, the current Malaysian Ambassador to Austria as well as the Governor of Resident Representative of Malaysia to IAEA, will serve as the chairman of the Board, by assuming the post from the outgoing Chairman from Algeria.

    Malaysia served as the Chairman of the Board in the term 1977-1978.

    Established in 1957, IAEA is an independent inter-governmental organization aiming at promoting peaceful use of nuclear technology.

    The IAEA Board of Governors consists of 35 members. As one of the two highest policy-making bodies of the IAEA, the Board is dedicated to making most of the policy decisions of the IAEA and it meets five times a year.