State Minister for Infrastructure Armand Zingiro said Rwanda sees nuclear science as an important part of its plans to achieve the country’s Vision 2050 development goals.
Speaking at the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, Zingiro said Rwanda was moving from planning to putting its nuclear ambitions into action.
“Rwanda considers nuclear science and technology a major catalyst that will help us achieve key national development priorities through Vision 2050,” he said.
Rwanda is targeting 2030 for the operation of a nuclear power plant and says much of the workforce needed to run it is already being developed.
The country has also undergone an IAEA review of its nuclear infrastructure. The assessment, conducted in March, examined Rwanda’s preparedness to develop the systems and infrastructure needed to use nuclear technology safely and sustainably.
The review produced recommendations that Rwanda will use as it moves into the next stage of its nuclear programme, Zingiro said.
But Rwanda’s plans go beyond electricity.
In July, the country hosted another IAEA assessment focused on its plans for a proposed Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology, which is expected to cost about $500 million.
The centre is planned as a hub for research, training and the development of specialists in nuclear science and technology.
Zingiro also said Africa needed to move from discussions about nuclear energy to practical projects that could help meet the continent’s growing demand for electricity.
Rwanda hosted the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa in Kigali in May, where stakeholders discussed ways to advance nuclear energy and innovation across the continent.
