Africa's Policy Imperatives: Issue 8

Issue 8 of ‘Africa’s Policy Imperatives’ focuses on the potential role that Africa can play in the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit. It is an edited and enhanced version of a food for thought paper presented at a diplomatic luncheon hosted by the British High Commission in Pretoria.

Previous editions provided general overviews (and updates) of Africa’s participation in international efforts to strengthen disarmament and non-proliferation through a number of conventions, protocols and agreements, including the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), its adherence in Africa and the potential benefits that Africa can derive from the work of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO); recent developments in the implementation of the Treaty of Pelindaba; and, on ways to enhance the role of the OPCW in building Africa’s capacity to prevent the misuse of toxic chemicals.

This Issue has been compiled as a result of research undertaken since 2007 by the Norwegian and British-funded ISS’ “Africa’s Development and the Threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction Project”. This project aims to identify and strengthen Africa’s role in these international efforts in the context of the continent’s developmental imperatives.

New Publication: Securing Africa's Nuclear Resources

From 1 - 2 February 2011, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), with support from the British High Commission in South Africa, hosted an experts workshop on ‘Securing Africa’s Nuclear Resources’, bringing together a range of African stakeholders including officials from various South African government departments, African national nuclear regulators, power plants, atomic energy commissions and radiation protection authorities, the Africa Regional Co-operative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA), the African Union (AU), and the Forum of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies in Africa (FNRBA).

The findings of this workshop and the nuclear security research undertaken by the WMD Project are included in the comprehensive publication entitled 'Securing Africa's Nuclear Resources'.

Click HERE for the electronic version.