Namibia has formally endorsed its bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the international body that regulates the export of nuclear technology and materials to prevent their use in weapons.
The country’s Ministry of International Relations and Trade will lead the application process and form an inter-ministerial committee to ensure Namibia meets NSG guidelines, the cabinet said in a statement.
As part of the effort, a Namibian delegation will meet with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the NSG chairperson during the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Bloomberg reported.
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Uranium, the key fuel for nuclear reactors, is already one of Namibia’s most valuable exports.
Production in April rose 59% compared to the same month last year, according to the Chamber of Mines.
Data from the World Nuclear Association shows that Namibia’s uranium mines have the capacity to supply up to 10% of global nuclear fuel demand.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, in her first State of the Nation Address this year, announced plans to begin talks on building Namibia’s first nuclear power plant.
The project aims to tap into the country’s significant uranium reserves and reduce its dependence on electricity imports from South Africa.
Namibia’s nuclear ambitions have attracted global interest, with Russia expressing readiness to cooperate.
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Image Credit: Bloomberg
