4 Nuclear Energy & Energy Transitions …
129
to which France is a party include—the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (1986); Convention on Assistance in Case of
a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (1986) and the London
Convention.
The country also has robust institutional and regulatory frameworks
on nuclear energy. These are in charge of operationalizing and overseeing the activities of the nuclear industry, with the management of
the different types of atomic activities placed under various departments and bodies. They include the General Directorate for Energy and
Climate under the Ministry of Ecology and Energy; the Nuclear Safety
Authority; National Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear
Safety (IRSN); the National Radioactive Waste Management Agency
(ANDRA); National Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear
Safety (IRSN) and the High Committee for Transparency and Information in Nuclear Safety (HCTISN), among others.
There are several lessons that SSA countries can learn from France with
respect to nuclear energy development. These will be discussed after a
brief overview of nuclear energy in SSA as highlighted in the next section.
4.4.2 Nuclear Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa
Many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa such as Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia,
Nigeria, Namibia, Ghana and Sudan are exploring avenues for venturing
into the production of nuclear power in a bid to meet their ever-growing
electricity demands—energy access and energy security.
64 Nuclear power
generation is a way of meeting the climate change mitigation targets of
the countries since nuclear is a cleaner form of energy compared to traditional fossil fuels. Although there are many pressing issues like nuclear
technology and financial costs, a significant challenge lies in establishing
an adequate legal and regulatory regime for the sector.
65 Save for South
64 Chiponda Chimbelu, African Countries Mull Nuclear Energy as Russia Extends Offers, October
22, 2019, Business and Human Rights Centre- Deutsche Welle (DW), https://www.dw.
com/en/african-countries-mull-nuclear-energy-as-russia-extends-offers/a-50872702?utm_source=
Media+Review+for+October+23%2C+2019&utm_campaign=Media+Review+for+October+23%
2C+2019&utm_medium=email (accessed on 29/4/2020).
65 Ibid.
129
to which France is a party include—the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident (1986); Convention on Assistance in Case of
a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency (1986) and the London
Convention.
The country also has robust institutional and regulatory frameworks
on nuclear energy. These are in charge of operationalizing and overseeing the activities of the nuclear industry, with the management of
the different types of atomic activities placed under various departments and bodies. They include the General Directorate for Energy and
Climate under the Ministry of Ecology and Energy; the Nuclear Safety
Authority; National Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear
Safety (IRSN); the National Radioactive Waste Management Agency
(ANDRA); National Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear
Safety (IRSN) and the High Committee for Transparency and Information in Nuclear Safety (HCTISN), among others.
There are several lessons that SSA countries can learn from France with
respect to nuclear energy development. These will be discussed after a
brief overview of nuclear energy in SSA as highlighted in the next section.
4.4.2 Nuclear Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa
Many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa such as Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia,
Nigeria, Namibia, Ghana and Sudan are exploring avenues for venturing
into the production of nuclear power in a bid to meet their ever-growing
electricity demands—energy access and energy security.
64 Nuclear power
generation is a way of meeting the climate change mitigation targets of
the countries since nuclear is a cleaner form of energy compared to traditional fossil fuels. Although there are many pressing issues like nuclear
technology and financial costs, a significant challenge lies in establishing
an adequate legal and regulatory regime for the sector.
65 Save for South
64 Chiponda Chimbelu, African Countries Mull Nuclear Energy as Russia Extends Offers, October
22, 2019, Business and Human Rights Centre- Deutsche Welle (DW), https://www.dw.
com/en/african-countries-mull-nuclear-energy-as-russia-extends-offers/a-50872702?utm_source=
Media+Review+for+October+23%2C+2019&utm_campaign=Media+Review+for+October+23%
2C+2019&utm_medium=email (accessed on 29/4/2020).
65 Ibid.