The Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR) took part, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in the work of the twelfth meeting of the Arab Nuclear Regulatory Authorities organized by the network of Arab Nuclear Regulatory Authorities (ANNuR) and the Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA).

Held remotely and in Arabic, the meeting focused on topics of increased importance relating to regulatory oversight in the nuclear and radiological fields and the development of the human, technical and organizational capacities necessary to ensure a high level of nuclear and radiological safety and security. The meeting also identified concrete actions that Arab States should take to establish and/or improve their national regulatory infrastructure, including through education and training.

Indeed, this meeting is part of the implementation of the “Arab Strategy for the Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy” and in particular the action plan of the project entitled “Strengthening Regulatory and Legislative Frameworks for Nuclear and Radiological Activities in Arab Countries” which was approved by senior officials of these countries.

The objectives of this meeting were to assess the progress made by the ANNuR network, to estimate the current and future needs of the Arab nuclear authorities, to set up an Arab training and qualification programme for radiation safety officers and to exchange good practices developed in terms of radiological monitoring of the environment and early notification.

In this sense, Dr. Khammar Mrabit, Director General of AMSSNuR, shared the Moroccan experience in the development and strengthening of the regulatory framework for nuclear and radiological safety and security, as well as in the development and implementation of national strategies dedicated to theoretical and practical training in nuclear and radiological safety and security and radiological monitoring of the environment.

Dr. Mrabit also stressed the importance of deploying cooperation mechanisms aimed at exchanging experiences and sharing good practices. He also demonstrated the willingness and commitment of AMSSNuR to build on its achievements by implementing bilateral and multilateral cooperation actions, particularly through collaboration networks, such as the Forum of Nuclear Regulatory Authorities in Africa (FNRBA) chaired by Dr. Mrabit, as well as expert missions, training courses and technical and scientific visits.

Finally, the twelfth meeting of the Arab nuclear authorities provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience among the various Arab countries. This spirit of sharing fosters, in the medium and long term, the improvement, strengthening and harmonization of national nuclear and radiological infrastructures and regulatory frameworks and aims to support the global nuclear and radiological safety and security system.