African nations urged to strengthen regulatory infrastructures for nuclear security

African nations on Tuesday were urged to strengthen their national regulatory infrastructures for the nuclear energy to benefit the continent and its people.

The call came at the time when a number of African countries are embarking into harnessing uranium energy to promote nuclear technologies for peaceful use.

Without adequate and sustainable regulatory infrastructure to support nuclear security, the benefits associated with the use of nuclear technology and atomic energy might be jeopardized, Tanzania's nuclear energy expert Mwinjarubi Nyaruba said in Arusha, northern part of the country, when addressing participants of the Regional Workshop on Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plans for Members of the Forum of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies in Africa (FNRBA) .

Aiming at providing a common understanding of the integrated nuclear security support plans (INSSPs), the forum was organized by Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC) in collaboration with International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA) and was attended by experts from 27 African countries.

Nyaruba said though most of nuclear regulatory bodies in Africa have established a system of authorization, inspection and enforcement for the control of radioactive materials, there are still a lot to be done to strengthen the national regulatory infrastructures for nuclear security.

"These issues range from gaps in legislative and regulatory framework, detection, response as well as human and financial resources. Hence, cooperation in the region is of high importance, " said Nyaruba, who is the acting director general of TAEC.

He said since Tanzania has experienced 14 illicit trafficking of radioactive materials events since 1996, the government need to strengthen its nuclear security for nuclear and radioactive materials in the country.

He said TAEC in collaboration with the IAEA and U.S. department of energy has conducted five awareness courses for front line officers and mobile expert support team on identification, detection and respond to incidents involving illicit trafficking of radioactive materials.