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IAEA Reviews Morocco’s Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response

179/2022
Rabat, Morocco

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts this week concluded a ten-day mission to review the emergency preparedness and response (EPR) framework for nuclear and radiological emergencies in the Kingdom of Morocco. The Emergency Preparedness Review (EPREV) was carried out at the request of the Moroccan Government and hosted by the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR).

The mission objective was to provide an assessment of Morocco’s EPR arrangements and capabilities against IAEA safety standards and to provide a basis for further enhancements.

Morocco uses nuclear and radiation technologies for medical, industrial, agricultural, research and educational applications. The National Centre for Nuclear Energy, Sciences and Technology (CNESTEN) operates the MA-R1 TRIGA research reactor at the Maâmora Nuclear Research Centre, used for research in nuclear energy and geochronology (determining the age of rocks, fossils and sediments), neutron activation analysis, education and training. Morocco is considering adding nuclear power to its energy mix.

In addition to meeting with counterparts from AMSSNuR, which was designated as the first African IAEA Capacity Building Centre for EPR in 2019, in the capital city of Rabat, the team met with a number of other Moroccan government organizations. They included the Ministry of the Interior, the General Directorate of Civil Protection, the General Directorate of National Security, the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. The team also visited facilities in Kénitra and Tanger: CNESTEN and the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) respectively.

Brian Ahier, Director General of the Environmental and Radiation Health Sciences Directorate at Health Canada, led the six-person team, which also included experts from New Zealand, Spain, Sudan, the United States, as well as staff from the IAEA.

“Overall, Morocco has a solid basis for their EPR arrangements,” said Ahier. “This EPREV mission has identified a high level of capability throughout the country for field radiological emergency operations. The team recommended that Morocco finalize the documents detailing its emergency management system, which will help the country to strengthen its EPR arrangements and capabilities moving forward.”

The team identified several strengths in Morocco’s EPR framework, including:

  • A strong commitment to preparedness for nuclear and radiological emergencies among all stakeholders.
  • Hosting and participating in training, outreach and capacity building to strengthen national and international EPR.
  • Continuous engagement of the Ministry of Finance throughout the national planning process to improve identification and planning of resourcing requirements.
  • The maintenance of a high level of capability throughout the country for field radiological emergency operations.

The team also made recommendations to the Moroccan authorities to further strengthen EPR, including:

  • To update the National Hazard Assessment to include an analysis specific to the nuclear and radiation facilities and sources in Morocco.
  • To revise the protection strategy in line with the latest IAEA safety standards.
  • To establish an emergency classification system to allow for prompt identification, notification and activation of emergency response.
  • To develop a radiation monitoring strategy for supporting protective action decisions.

“The cooperation with the IAEA through the EPREV mission has given Morocco clarity on where to further develop our EPR capabilities,” said Mounji Zniber, Acting Director of AMSSNuR. “We are pleased to be leaders in outreach and capacity building and look forward to continued cooperation with the IAEA moving forward.”

Carlos Torres Vidal, Director of the IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre, said Morocco had become a key regional and international player in EPR having hosted the full-scale Convex-3 exercise 'Bab Al Maghrib' in 2013, led several international initiatives and working groups on nuclear and radiological emergency response, and through operation of the IAEA EPR Capacity Building Centre for Africa since 2019.

“We are glad to see that Morocco is deriving benefits from the efforts it has invested into EPR,” he added during his closing remarks.

About EPREV Missions

EPREV missions are one of the peer reviews offered by the IAEA to strengthen nuclear safety in Member States. EPREV missions focus on the arrangements and capabilities to prepare for and respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies. EPREV missions are based on the IAEA safety standards in nuclear and radiological emergency preparedness and response.

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