Russia and Zambia signed an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation in May 2016 at Atomexpo International Forum. The document sets a legal framework for joint Russian–Zambian nuclear energy projects and defines areas of collaboration, including nuclear reactor design, construction, operation and decommissioning, fuel supplies, spent fuel and nuclear waste management, radioisotopes, industrial, medical and agricultural applications of nuclear technology, staff training, etc.
The agreement provides for the formation of a steering committee to advise on the use of nuclear energy in these areas and search for mutually beneficial projects.
The documents were signed in early December in Lusaka, Zambia. According to one of them, the memorandum of understanding between Rosatom Group and Zambia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Russia will help train future workforce for Zambia’s nuclear power industry. The second document, the memorandum of understanding between Rosatom Group and Zambia’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, provides for joint efforts on raising public awareness of the nuclear industry development in the country. The signatories to the memorandums were Rosatom’s Deputy CEO Nikolai Spassky on the Russian part, Owen Mgemezulu, Ministry of Higher Education permanent secretary, and Godfrey Malama, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services, on the Zambian part.
The meeting was a starting point for the parties to work on Zambia’s nuclear science and technology center that will feature a Russian-designed research reactor. An agreement to this effect was signed between Rusatom Overseas Inc. and the Ministry of Higher Education of Zambia. Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu confirmed his commitment to constructing a nuclear science and technology center in Zambia.
Another memorandum was signed by the Russian regulator Rostechnadzor and Zambia’s Ministry of Health. The document provides for joint efforts in ensuring nuclear and radiation safety in civil nuclear projects.
