Apr 20, 2022 219times

Reconstitution of the SADC nuclear regulators network

Reconstitution of the SADC nuclear regulators network

Seychelles being a member of SADC, recently participated in a meeting organized by the Radiation Protection Authority of Zimbabwe (RPAZ) with the support of the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) from 6th to 8th April 2022 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The meeting is to reaffirm the commitments made following the discussions in Cape Town on 2nd and 3rd December 2010 and in Harare on 21st and 22nd February, 2011.

Seychelles was represented by two Senior staff from the Employment Department, Mr. Steve Monnaie and Mrs. Stephanie Boniface. The event allowed its participants to make a recap of the Harare Declaration, review the evolution of the Regulatory Bodies in SADC in ten years’ retrospective, discuss on cooperation areas and establishment of Technical Working Groups, and decide on the way forward in regional cooperation.

It also presents an opportunity to share  the findings and the results of the EU Project MC 5.01/15B, including a regional report on the state of affairs of nuclear safety, security and safeguards, and a recommended Action Plan; inter- regional experience sharing of best practices; national coordination mechanisms for the elaboration of norms and policies; standard rules for safe and secure transport of radioactive material; and an Information Tracking System to monitor cross-boundary movement of uranium and sources.

As a Small Island Developing State, the benefit of being part of the network, is that Seychelles will have a unanimous voice with other countries of the SADC region on matters relating to radiation and nuclear safety and the network will facilitate the exchange of technical expertise, practices and experiences between countries of the SADC region.