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Namibia and Russia look to fast-track their ‘peaceful use of nuclear energy’ deal

By John Dyer   Posted in Nuclear Attitude Reactors Supply U
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To further its nuclear partnership with one of Africa’s most influential nuclear stakeholders, Russia, Namibia recently discussed advancing the timeline for an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

  • Russia and Namibia are negotiating an agreement to cooperate on peaceful nuclear energy development.
  • A Namibian delegation recently met with Rosatom representatives in Moscow to discuss the partnership.
  • Rosatom aims to complete uranium exploration in Namibia by 2026 and commence mining by 2029.
  • Namibia is exploring nuclear energy investments, leveraging its status as the third-largest global uranium producer.

This information was relayed by Russia’s state nuclear agency Rosatom on Wednesday, following a meeting with a Namibian delegation currently in the Euroasian country.

The Namibian delegation, led by the country’s minister of international relations and trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, met with officials from Rosatom in Russia’s capital city, Moscow.

As reported by Sputnik, Rosatom’s timeline to finalize its uranium exploration in Namibia is 2026, while it intends to begin mining by 2029.

In April last year, reports indicated that Namibia had initiated discussions regarding the potential establishment of a nuclear power plant, in collaboration with the Russian Federation.

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The move aims to utilize Namibia’s massive uranium deposits, as the country is currently the world’s third-largest uranium producer, while also lowering the country’s dependency on South African electrical imports.

At the time, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev convened to explore enhanced cooperation in nuclear energy within the continent’s foremost uranium-producing nation.

By June, Rosatom had conclusively relayed its plans to build its first nuclear plant in the Southern African country.

Ryan Collyer, CEO of Rosatom Central and Southern Africa, highlighted the country’s potential in the nuclear space.

“We see Namibia as a highly promising partner in the field of nuclear energy… not only as a resource-rich nation, but also as a forward-thinking country with the potential to become a regional leader in low-carbon energy,” he told Sputnik.

Namibia’s uranium mines have the potential to provide up to 10% of the world’s nuclear fuel supply, according to the World Nuclear Association.