On 21 April 2021 ISTC organized the third in row   monthly webinar for the African countries, participating   in the EU-funded Project MC 5.01 15B, spotlighting   Stakeholders Engagement. The platform allows for the   presentation of the country specific reports elaborated   under Project MC 5.01 15B, and on this occasion it       was  the Zambia report that took center stage.

 Ms Melody Mwewa, Manager, Nuclear and Radiation   Safety Department, Radiation Protection Authority   (RPA) of Zambia presented the Country Specific   Report- the Legal Framework for Zambia in relation to Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards and transportation of Uranium Ore Concentrates. In Zambia, the recently launched National Nuclear Policy provides a framework for the use of nuclear technology in various sectors such as industry, agriculture, energy, health, mining, education, and environment.

Once explored and mined, uranium can accord the country the much-needed foreign exchange. Zambia has to position itself as a hub of in. All the more that a new Nuclear Act is currently under preparation. Many IAEA standards that are referred to in Zambian legislation have yet to be domesticated. There should be an independent regulator in place and RPA is already working in such capacity. At the same time at the Ministry of Higher Education there is a unit, ZAMATOM, that functions as a Nuclear Power Program Implementation Organization.

Ms. Sheriffah Noor Khamseah, Innovation & Nuclear Advocate, Imperial College, University of London made a presentation, entitled Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power. The presentation covered the Phase 2 of the IAEA Milestone Approach. The function of regulatory bodies for stakeholder engagement were specifically highlighted. The regulator needs to assure the public that their concerns about nuclear facilities will be taken into consideration and explain how these concerns should be communicated, online or otherwise.

The next edition of the ISTC series of webinars is scheduled for the second half of May 2021, when the country specific report on Zimbabwe will feature on the agenda.