Rwanda has strengthened technical support and developed a professional team to ensure an independent regulation of nuclear safety and enhance its effectiveness, the minister of Infrastructure, Claver Gatete said in an interview with local media on Monday.
The senior government official said that as the country has now started working on its nuclear stronghold by joining the international treaty that provides assistance in case of nuclear and radiological accidents.
The use of nuclear technology is emerging from all parts of the globe.
In June, the parliament approved an agreement between the government and a Russian state corporation Rosatom to set up a nuclear centre by 2024.
The centre would enable Rwanda to develop nuclear solutions that would advance several sectors of the country’s economy especially agriculture, health, education, the sciences and industry.
The technology will be applied to nuclear medicine, reactor laboratory research and multipurpose radiation including radiobiology and material science.
While the convention covers various aspects of the provision of assistance, it also tasks member states with endeavouring to avoid any such incidents.
The senior Rwandan government officials explained that the agency may be requested to assist in developing appropriate training programmes for personnel to deal with nuclear accidents and radiological emergencies and in radiation monitoring programmes, procedures and standards.
“Rwanda may also request assistance “relating to medical treatment or temporary relocation of people involved in a nuclear accident or radiological emergency into the territory of another state party,” he said.
CU/as/APA