European cooperation project in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection for six African countries
From 11th to 13th February 2025, in Rabat (Morocco), an ASNR delegation led by Commissioner Jean-Luc Lachaume took part in launching a European cooperation project to strengthen the technical and regulatory capabilities of six African nuclear safety authorities.
Participants in the European cooperation project to strengthen technical and regulatory capabilities
This European Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation is financed by the European Commission and France at 5%. It is administered by Expertise France and implemented by a consortium of European experts for the benefit of six African countries: Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa. It will run for 48 months, from December 2024 to December 2028, with a budget of 4.9 million euros.
The project will provide nuclear safety and radiation protection expertise to the participating countries. The main objective is to promote a culture of safety and implement high standards and practices for nuclear safety and radiation protection on the African continent, for the benefit of the public and the environment.
Six themes were identified for the project: strengthening assessment capabilities for radiation protection, spent fuel and radioactive waste management systems; improving safety assessment capabilities; harmonizing regulations for nuclear facilities and integrating international best practices; improving mechanisms for informing the public; emergency preparedness; strengthening nuclear safety and radiation protection control capabilities.
The meeting took place in Rabat, on the premises of AMSSNuR, the Moroccan regulator. It was attended by representatives of the European Commission, Expertise France, ASNR (France), BEL-V (Belgium), CSN (Spain), STUK (Finland), SUJB (Czech Republic), as well as ENRRA (Egypt), NRA (Ghana), KNRA (Kenya), AMSSNuR (Morocco), NNRA (Nigeria), and NNR (South Africa).
Action plans tailored to the needs of each beneficiary country were approved at the meeting, enabling the working groups to begin their activities straight away.