Nuclear technology experts from various areas of Anglophone Africa convened in Kigali for a five-day training to enhance their understanding of how to regulate the transport of radioactive materials.
The forum, which opened on Monday, was organized in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA).
About 25 respondents from 14 African English-speaking countries including Rwanda, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe were brought together.
Participants will learn in essence about the criteria for the transportation of radioactive materials under the IAEA Safe Transportation of Radioactive Materials Regulations (IAEA Transport Regulations) and the duties of the competent authorities to ensure compliance with the criteria.
Radioactive materials can be dangerous if badly treated, which are any items that can ignite radiation waves used for technology in distinct fields from medicine and security to manufacturing and agriculture.
The training content in Kigali includes, among other subjects, duties for compliance with transport laws for radioactive materials among qualified regulatory officials in various nations, material distributors, as well as transporters.
Participants will also learn about packaging and labeling standards for radioactive materials as well as steps to inspect their suitable transport.
RURA’s Director of Radiation Safety Regulation, Jean de Dieu Tuyisenge, said Rwanda needs to be well-equipped to correctly monitor the movement of radioactive materials in the nation.
“It’s very important for Rwanda to have regulations, knowledge, and the capacity to regulate transport of radioactive materials to ensure that they are handled properly to remain harmless for human life,” he said.
The official said the training will help RURA officials improve their understanding to ensure control over radioactive materials that Rwanda can import or pass into the nation on their way to other nations.
“It’s important that we have the knowledge and ability to control what enters Rwanda,” he said.
He said waves from radioactive materials can influence human life if not treated well, causing various illnesses such as cancer.
The Energy Division Manager at the Infrastructure Ministry, Robert Nyamvumba, stated that Rwanda is increasingly using radioactive materials in various fields and that understanding of how to manage it is essential.
“It’s an important meeting that will help us safeguard radioactive materials to ensure that they won’t cause any harm as a result of misuse,” he said.
As for Eric Reber, an IAEA expert in transport safety, he said there are global standards for carrying radioactive material from one nation to another and from one location to another.
“Internationally, we have established safety standards for the transportation of radioactive materials and what this training will help empower people with skills on how to apply these safety standards in a regulatory environment,” he said.
He said the transport laws for radioactive materials are often amended about every six years, which implies that specialists need training in distinct nations to enhance their understanding.
In the next five years, Rwanda intends to set up a Center for Nuclear Science and Technology (CNST), which makes continuing training on the transport of radioactive materials particularly significant for Rwandan professionals.
