As part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen Kenya’s comprehensive national nuclear legal framework, and upon the request from the Government of Kenya via the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) participated virtually in a Stakeholder Validation Workshop on the Accession to the Four Nuclear Safety Conventions, hosted by NuPEA in Kenya on 26 February 2025.
The workshop focused on Kenya’s accession to four key nuclear safety conventions, namely the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident, the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency, the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.
The workshop brought together over 50 participants from key national stakeholders, including the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Energy, to discuss the scope, objectives, and main obligations of these conventions. The IAEA provided insights into the international legal framework for nuclear safety, highlighting the importance of adhering and committing to the relevant international legal instruments and the establishment and strengthening of a comprehensive national nuclear legal framework implementing the instruments, which is a prerequisite to supporting Kenya’s national nuclear programme and research reactor project.
“I would like to emphasize that safety is at the heart of implementing a Nuclear Power Programme. Kenya, in its efforts to prioritize the implementation of the Programme (currently in Phase Two), is favourably considering acceding to the requisite treaties on safety. These treaties will support the development of the requisite legal and regulatory framework on safety which is critical for implementing its the nuclear power programme. We appreciate the IAEA's continued support in this endeavour” said Justus Wabuyabo, NUPEA Chief Executive Officer.
The event served as a platform for dialogue among Kenya’s relevant authorities and decision-makers, ensuring that they are well-informed about the international obligations deriving from these nuclear safety conventions and of the advantages to be gained by accession.
The workshop followed an IAEA mission conducted last November.
