Africa, Russia discuss nuclear education prospects

The Inspirer Writer.

Experts exchanged views on regional and global issues of nuclear education for Africa’s sustainable development in the Youth Forum “Russia-Africa: Nuclear Education for Sustainable development”.

MOSCOW, November 25. – The prospects of nuclear education for Africa’s sustainable development were discussed by African and Russian experts in the Youth Forum “Russia-Africa: Nuclear Education for Sustainable development” on November 24, 2020. 

The panelists included members of the African Atomic Energy Commission (AFCONE), the African Science and Technology Development Agency (SAASTA), the South African Society of Young Nuclear Professionals, and the African Youth Nuclear Summit (AYGN).

Experts highlighted the search for new forms of cooperation in the field of sustainable development of African countries through the promotion of nuclear education, which makes it possible to realize the potential of young people in high-tech fields of science and technology in the countries of residence.

Representatives of Ghana, Egypt, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia, Morocco, Namibia, Senegal, and Uganda were also invited to participate.

Three plenary sessions focused on the formation of motivation among young people to obtain nuclear education, research interest in the field of nuclear technology and brand loyalty. It is particularly relevant for the formation of a new cohort of specialists capable of becoming a driving force for the socio-technological development of African countries in cooperation with Russian partners while considering current realities and needs.

According to Ilya Rogachev, Representative of the Russian Federation and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of South Africa and Kingdom of Lesotho, Africa has everything at its disposal to become the next global economic powerhouse, while the Russian nuclear industry has the means and ambitions to ensure Africa’s success. These include issues of vital solutions for healthcare, medicine, agriculture, mining, and science for countries’ development.

Nuclear technologies have also a critical role to play in achieving both the United Nations Sustainable Development goals in Africa as well as the African Unions’ ambitious Agenda 2063 Master plan, which envisions Africa’s transformation into the global powerhouse of the future. Sustainable economic growth on the continent is impossible without sustainable baseload power. 

The Youth Forum “Russia-Africa: Nuclear Education for Sustainable development was held at RUDN-University (Russia, Moscow) and University of Rwanda (Rwanda, Kigali) sites on November 24, 2020.

Raising issues of the International Forum “Russia-Africa: Science – Education – Cooperation” and the Russia – Africa Summit were highlighted at the event. The co-organizer of the forum was Rosatom, the only company in the world that has the resources and competencies to offer energy solutions across the nuclear supply chain.

More than 1,500 foreign students from 40 countries have studied at the universities of the Rosatom educational Consortium since 2010. There are hundreds of students from African countries studying in Russia today, including those from Rwanda, Algeria, Ghana, Egypt, Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Africa.

In 2020, seventeen students from Zambia that are currently studying at the Russian Nuclear Research Institute MEPhI participated in an internship program at one of Rosatom’s companies.

About Rosatom

ROSATOM is the only company in the world that has the resources and competencies to offer energy solutions across the nuclear supply chain. It possesses a wide range of assets, including assets in design, construction and operation of nuclear power stations, uranium mining, conversion and enrichment, supply of nuclear fuel, decommissioning, spent fuel storage and transportation and safe nuclear waste disposal.

The company also engaged in the production of equipment and isotope products for the needs of nuclear medicine, scientific research, and materials science, the production of digital and of various nuclear and non-nuclear innovative products. The company’s strategy is to develop low-carbon power generation projects, including in the wind generation field. Today the company brings together over 300 enterprises and organizations and over 250,000 employees.

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