Kenya pledges to boost nuclear safety, security
Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority Director-General James Keter Chumba speaking during the opening of a regional meeting in Nairobi on the implementation of international safety standards.
Kenya is fully committed to the safe and secure use of nuclear technology, the sector’s regulator has declared.
Officials at the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) on Monday said the country had made significant progress in complying with international nuclear safety regulations.
KNRA Director-General James Keter Chumba said Kenya was committed to the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) safety standards and code of conduct on the safety and security of radioactive sources.
He was opening a regional meeting in Nairobi on the implementation of international safety standards and the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, attended by participants from 22 African countries.
The provisions of the IAEA Code relating to the security of radioactive sources have been strengthened in light of the events of 11 September in the United States.
IAEA expert Olga Makarovska called for increased technical cooperation between nations. Officials from the countries represented spoke in favour of cross-border cooperation to ensure the safety and peaceful use of nuclear energy.
However, they warned that without political goodwill, the adoption of necessary legislation and the implementation of safety guidelines would face costly delays.
The forum, hosted by the KNRA and the IAEA, which ends on Friday, will take stock of successes and failures and make recommendations. Countries participating in the talks include Libya, Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Benin and Cameroon. The KNRA, a successor to the Radiation Protection Board, is charged with protecting people, property and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation.
