International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) technical officer Harishnan Tulsidas has urged African governments to accelerate their efforts to develop uranium resources if they are to realise their vision of adequate economic growth that could help lift millions out of poverty.
Speaking at an IAEA regional workshop on uranium exploration and resources, held in Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe, Tulsidas said nuclear energy was a viable solution for many African governments grappling to meet the surging power demand of their growing economies.
He said: “The generation of adequate electricity is crucial for the development of any region. If Africa is to achieve its economic growth targets, nuclear development is a solution, since investment in other sources of energy, such as coal and gas, is already saturated, which calls for the adoption of cleaner alternative energy sources, including uranium.”
He noted that an increase in population and industrial growth in Africa was creating increasing demand for limited energy resources, which called for coun- tries to develop alternative sources, such as nuclear energy.
He said it was pleasing to note that about 14 countries in Africa were producing uranium, with countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Ghana and Nigeria pursuing nuclear energy projects.
“We are forecasting that, by 2030, 50% of global uranium production will come from Africa. This is one of the reasons the IAEA holds these capacity-building workshops in Africa – to encourage the sustainable production of uranium on the continent, which is a growing uranium producer.”
He said the IAEA felt there was an urgent need to sensitise the African population about uranium mining because it was not well understood in most African countries.
Malawi Ministry of Mining permanent secretary Leonard Kalindekafe commented that the time was now ripe for Malawi, as a uranium producer, to explore the development of nuclear energy.
“We are urging cooperating partners to assist us in this course. Malawi can become a model among developing countries in developing its uranium products,” said Kalindekafe.
Malawi Minister of Mining John Bande, who officially launched the workshop, said the Malawi government welcomed the IAEA’s gesture to promote sustainable uranium mining through the capacity building of stakeholders.
Said Bande: “I am reliably informed that this workshop emerges from the IAEA’s project entitled ‘Strengthening Regional Capabilities for Uranium Mining, Milling and Regulation of Related Activities’.
“The title of this project speaks volumes as far as the development and promotion of sustainable uranium mining practices in Malawi, Africa and beyond are concerned. If truth be told, as developing countries in Africa, we cannot achieve sustainable mining development without first building and strengthening the technical capacity of our mining sectors.”
He said the IAEA workshop was in line with a number of reforms that the Malawi government was undertaking to strengthen the capacity of its mining sector
.