By Wallace Mawire
Russia and Ethiopia have signed an intergovernmental framework agreement on cooperation in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy.
It is reported that the document was signed on the side-lines of the Russia-Africa Economic Forum by ROSATOM Director General Alexei Likhachev on behalf of Russia, and by Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology Getahun Mecuria Kuma, the on behalf of Ethiopia.
Rosatom is the company behind the Centre of Nuclear Science and Technology (CNST) under construction in Chongwe, Zambia, under the 2018 engineering, procurement and construction contract signed in 2018 between the Zambian government and Rosatom.
It is added that the CNST, which will not generate electricity, will provide a wide range of applications of radiation technologies in medicine, agriculture and industry, which include a technological industry platform to enhance national industry development.
The CNST
will also promote the enhancement of national education and science through the
training of highly qualified experts in various fields.
The intergovernmental agreement will
serve as a springboard for starting active dialogue between the two countries
in the field of nuclear technologies and practical implementation of specific
projects within the framework of cooperation.
Alexei Likhachev noted: “We are glad to provide Ethiopia with access to
more than 70 years of experience in the peaceful use of nuclear technologies in
Russia and hope that our cooperation will contribute to the sustainable
development of Ethiopia and improve the quality of life of the nation.”
The Intergovernmental agreement
creates a legal framework for establishing cooperation between Russia and
Ethiopia on a wide range of areas.
These areas include: fine tuning the projects for construction of the Center for nuclear science and technology (CNST) and nuclear power plant (NPP) on the territory of the Republic of Ethiopia, developing nuclear infrastructure in accordance with international recommendations; applying nuclear and radiation safety regulations; implementing fundamental and applied research for peaceful uses of nuclear technologies; producing and using radioisotopes in various industries, healthcare and agriculture; cooperating in the field of radiation technologies and nuclear medicine applications and education, training and retraining of specialists for the nuclear industry.
