Ethiopia assumes AFRA chairmanship

Addis Ababa, September 20, 2024 (FBC) – Ethiopia has officially assumed the chairmanship of the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development, and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA) from Algeria.

According to the Permanent Mission of Ethiopia in Geneva, this transition took place during the 35th Meeting of AFRA representatives held on September 19, 2024, on the sidelines of the 68th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Austria.

In his acceptance speech, Belete Molla, Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, expressed gratitude to African nations for their trust and acknowledged the leadership of IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. He also recognized the contributions of the outgoing AFRA Chair, Commissioner Abdelhamid Melah of Algeria.

The Minister emphasized AFRA’s crucial role in enhancing nuclear applications in key sectors such as health, agriculture, and environmental management. He reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to advancing nuclear science through investments in research, infrastructure, and legislative frameworks, urging participants to focus on innovation, capacity building, and regional cooperation to drive progress in Africa.

AFRA is an intergovernmental Agreement established by African Member States to strengthen and enlarge the contribution of nuclear science and technology to socioeconomic development on the African continent.