Synchronising Nuclear Governance in SADC Member States Through Regional Cooperation

The document provides a comprehensive overview of nuclear governance across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), categorising member states by their nuclear capacity and identifying gaps in regulatory synchronisation. It highlights the critical need for harmonised policies to manage the transport of uranium ore concentrate (UOC) and radioactive sources across borders. The author proposes leveraging the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the African Association of Competent Authorities (AACA) to create a more integrated regional safety and security architecture.

• SADC member states exhibit diverse nuclear capacities, which the author divides into three groups: South Africa with an advanced industry; ten countries developing regulatory frameworks (Angola, Botswana, DRC, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe); and five smaller states focused on applications (Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius, and Seychelles).
• South Africa possesses a comprehensive nuclear governance system and is the only SADC state providing nuclear safety and security assistance to other African nations, though it lacks a fixed programme and often co-hosts training with non-African actors.
• Namibia is a major global uranium producer, accounting for approximately 10% of global resources as of 2021, and serves as a critical transport hub for landlocked SADC countries like Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia via corridors such as the Trans-Caprivi.
• Tanzania has established regulatory and institutional arrangements for nuclear safety and safeguards in anticipation of future sector growth, despite currently having suspended its uranium mining projects due to low international prices.
• Malawi's nuclear regulatory capacity is limited, specifically regarding the licensing of transporters and the technical equipment available for emergency responses, which may hinder the efficiency of its radiological response plans.
• Zambia views nuclear technology as a means to diversify its energy mix and generate foreign exchange through uranium sales, but it currently lacks domesticated legislation to regulate the transportation of dangerous goods.
• The transport of nuclear and radioactive materials is identified as a primary driver for regulatory synchronisation because it involves multiple stakeholders and cross-border movements that cannot be secured by border inspections alone.
• The SADC Nuclear Regulators’ Network (SADC NRN), established in 2011, has struggled to create a comprehensive network of transport safety regulators, leading to the proposal of the African Association of Competent Authorities (AACA) as a more specialised alternative.
• The Information Tracking System (ITS), developed under EU Project MC 5.01/15B and deployed in eight SADC countries, requires a sustainable maintenance model and a designated host for its servers to ensure continued data exchange on radioactive shipments.
• The author recommends integrating nuclear safety measures into Pillar II (Infrastructure development in support of regional integration) of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030.

APA

VELICHKOV, K. (2021). Synchronising Nuclear Governance in SADC Member States Through Regional Cooperation. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Occasional-Paper-332-velichkov.pdf

Chicago

VELICHKOV, KAMEN. Synchronising Nuclear Governance in SADC Member States Through Regional Cooperation. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Occasional-Paper-332-velichkov.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=VELICHKOV |first1=KAMEN |title=Synchronising Nuclear Governance in SADC Member States Through Regional Cooperation |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=October 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Occasional-Paper-332-velichkov.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{velichkov2021synchronising, author = {VELICHKOV, KAMEN}, title = {{Synchronising Nuclear Governance in SADC Member States Through Regional Cooperation}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Occasional-Paper-332-velichkov.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }