Rabat, 05 June 2026 – In the framework of the technical cooperation project between the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR), the European Commission, and the Belgian Institute for Radioelements (IRE-Lab), pertaining to the radiological monitoring of Moroccan territory, the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR) has inaugurated the first probe of this ambitious project, installed at its headquarters in Rabat.

This high-level event brought together Mr. Saïd MOULINE, Director General of AMSSNuR, His Excellency Mr. Dimiter TZANTCHEV, Ambassador of the European Union to the Kingdom of Morocco, and His Excellency Mr. Gilles HEYVAERT, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the Kingdom of Morocco. The event also saw the participation of the relevant ministerial departments and national institutions partnering with AMSSNuR.

This achievement marks a strategic milestone in strengthening the national environmental radiological monitoring system and in consolidating the Kingdom’s capabilities in the areas of early detection, alerting, and nuclear or radiological emergency management.Lors de son allocution, Monsieur MOULINE a souligné que la présence de ces hauts dignitaires et partenaires « témoigne de l’excellence du partenariat qui unit le Royaume du Maroc, l’Union européenne et le Royaume de Belgique, ainsi que de l’intérêt partagé que nous portons collectivement au renforcement de la sûreté et de la sécurité nucléaires ».

In his address, Mr. MOULINE underscored that the presence of these high-level dignitaries and partners “bears witness to the excellence of the partnership uniting the Kingdom of Morocco, the European Union, and the Kingdom of Belgium, as well as to the shared commitment we collectively hold towards strengthening nuclear safety and security.”

Speaking first, the Ambassador of the European Union hailed, at this inauguration, the involvement of all stakeholders as a tangible symbol of the EU’s commitment alongside Morocco in the field of environmental radiological monitoring. He recalled that this project is fully in line with the Strategic Partnership between the EU and Morocco, which places the protection of people and the environment at the heart of shared priorities.

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, for his part, expressed Belgium’s pride in contributing, through the recognised expertise of the Belgian institute IRE-Lab, to the strengthening of Moroccan capabilities in the field of radiological monitoring. He concluded by emphasising that the installation of the probes envisaged under this project will, in due course, contribute to strengthening the Moroccan ELMARSAD network.

This project falls within the mandate entrusted to AMSSNuR under Law No. 142-12 on nuclear and radiological safety and security. It aims to support the reinforcement and extension of the ELMARSAD ambient radioactivity telemetry network through the installation of several new probes to be deployed across various regions of the Kingdom, as well as to support the establishment of a national radiological monitoring programme for the territory, with assistance provided to nationally accredited laboratories for the measurement of radioactivity in various environmental matrices. Furthermore, the project also aims to provide the necessary support to AMSSNuR in establishing a specific environmental radiological monitoring programme for nuclear or radiological emergency situations.

This inauguration ceremony thus represents a significant step forward in the process of strengthening the national environmental radiological monitoring system. It reflects AMSSNuR’s commitment to developing a reliable and high-performing national system for the detection and tracking of ambient radioactivity, in conformity with international standards on nuclear and radiological safety and security.Cette cérémonie d’inauguration constitue ainsi une avancée importante dans le processus de renforcement du dispositif national de surveillance radiologique de l’environnement. Elle traduit l’engagement de l’AMSSNuR en faveur du développement d’un système national fiable et performant de détection et de suivi de la radioactivité ambiante, conforme aux standards internationaux en matière de sûreté et de sécurité nucléaires et radiologiques.