Sudan Readies Law on Atomic Energy

The inauguration of the damn at Merowe took place on March 3, 2009 in Sudan. The following day the ICC issued an arrest warrant against President Omar Hassan al-Bashir., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

WEDNESDAY 3 JULY 2013

Sudan readies law on atomic energy: official

July 2, 2013, (KHARTOUM) - Sudan has drafted a law on atomic energy and regulations on the system of nuclear liability and safeguards that will soon be presented to government for review, an official here said today.

The Minister of Science and Communication Issa Bushra in remarks before a conference on nuclear energy for the 21st century in Russia said the proposed law was written with the help of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Bushra said that Sudan completed the procedures and requirements for the establishment of the first nuclear reactor in the framework of the assessment done by IAEA in line with its approved roadmap.

The Sudanese official noted that the IAEA criteria looks at serious steps taken by the state to pick a suitable location for the establishment of the nuclear power plant.

He stressed that the future of nuclear energy depends on the adoption of high standards for safety, security and transparency and underscored the keenness of Sudan to take advantage of nuclear energy in accordance with the requirements and standards for the development and welfare of the people.

Bushra also reviewed the strategy of Sudan with regards to nuclear energy and Sudan’s plan 30-year plan started in 2000 for the introduction of nuclear power to fill the gap between the energy needs of the country and the available supply from different energy sources

He disclosed that work is underway to establish an independent body that will oversee Sudan’s peaceful use of atomic energy, that is separate from the Sudanese Atomic Energy Agency.

In 2010, Sudan said it started preparing for the project to produce power from nuclear energy in cooperation with IAEA and is expected to build the first nuclear power plant in the year 2020.

An IAEA’s delegation visited Khartoum in August 2010 to advise Sudanese staff on preparing a feasibility study on how to make the most of the nuclear reactor in terms of training human resources and producing radioactive isotopes for medical and industrial purposes.

(ST)