The Rwandan Parliament on 15 June ratified an agreement with Russia on the construction of a Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology.
It will enable Rwanda to further collaborate with Russia in the exchange of experience in the field of nuclear technology after the initial agreement was reached and signed at the first Russian-African forum in Sochi in October 2019.
Rwanda hopes that the development and implementation of nuclear technology will contribute to the growth of key sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, health, education, science and industry. MP Damien Nyabenda said that the parliamentary committee on science, technology and education had carefully studied the Sochi agreement and confirmed Rwanda’s interest in using nuclear energy for its development.
“The centre will create new jobs for Rwandans and will be a place to acquire the necessary skills, as it will work with experienced Russians in nuclear science that Rwanda does not have,” he said. The first group of 50 Rwandans is currently studying in Russia for a master's degree in nuclear sciences and will return to Rwanda to implement projects to improve agricultural research, the storage of food and medicine, as well as geological surveys.
The CNST is expected to include a multi-purpose research water-cooled reactor with a capacity of up to 10MW. It will be equipped with laboratories, systems and functional units necessary for safe operation.
Photo: The agreement to construct Rwanda’s first Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology (CNST) was signed by Rosatom director general Alexey Likhachev, and Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure Claver Gatete in October 2019 (Photo: Rosatom)
