Nuclear Revival in North Africa? Developments in Algeria, Libya, and Egypt

The document examines nuclear developments in Algeria, Egypt, and Libya, noting that while all three operate research reactors for medical and industrial use, their ambitions for nuclear power plants vary. Egypt is the most advanced, currently constructing four reactors at Al Dabaa with Russian support. Algeria and Libya have expressed long-term interests in nuclear energy, though these remain largely discursive or stalled by political instability and cost. The author argues that these pursuits are often driven by 'techno-nationalist' prestige rather than purely economic or environmental needs, especially given the viability of solar energy and the region's water scarcity.

• Egypt is the most advanced of the three countries in pursuing nuclear power, having signed an agreement with Russia's ROSATOM in 2014 to build four reactors at Al Dabaa. The project is supported by a $25 billion loan from ROSATOM to be repaid over 22 years, and is intended to provide 5–10% of Egypt's electricity requirements.
• Algeria operates two research reactors: the 1MW Nur reactor (supplied by Argentina) and the 15MW Es-Salem reactor (supplied by China). While the government has proposed timelines to introduce nuclear energy—including a 2019 plan to derive 6% of electricity from nuclear and 20% from solar—no site has been selected and no tenders issued.
• Libya's nuclear history is marked by a clandestine weapons programme that was dismantled in 2003 following an agreement with the US and UK. Despite this and ongoing civil war, the Libyan Atomic Energy Establishment (AEE) continues to discuss plans for a first nuclear power plant and the potential use of small modular reactors.
• All three nations utilize nuclear research reactors for peaceful applications, specifically in the fields of medicine, agriculture, and industry. This includes the production of radioactive isotopes and research into desalination.
• Intra-regional collaboration on nuclear technology is minimal and largely limited to academic conferences or dormant agencies like the Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA). Cooperation is hindered by the 'nationalisation' and securitisation of nuclear science, as well as political rivalries, such as tensions between Algeria and Morocco or Egypt's role in the Libyan civil war.
• The pursuit of nuclear energy in North Africa is characterized as a 'techno-nationalist' endeavour driven by political prestige and strategic positioning rather than environmental necessity. The author notes that nuclear power may be less sustainable than solar energy due to the region's extreme water scarcity.

APA

TAHA, H. (2021). Nuclear Revival in North Africa? Developments in Algeria, Libya, and Egypt. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Occasional-Paper-322-taha.pdf

Chicago

TAHA, HEBA. Nuclear Revival in North Africa? Developments in Algeria, Libya, and Egypt. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Occasional-Paper-322-taha.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=TAHA |first1=HEBA |title=Nuclear Revival in North Africa? Developments in Algeria, Libya, and Egypt |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=May 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Occasional-Paper-322-taha.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{taha2021nuclear, author = {TAHA, HEBA}, title = {{Nuclear Revival in North Africa? Developments in Algeria, Libya, and Egypt}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Occasional-Paper-322-taha.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }