Namibia has endorsed its bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the international body that sets rules for the export of nuclear technology and materials to prevent their use in weapons.
The Ministry of International Relations and Trade will spearhead the application process and establish an inter-ministerial committee to ensure compliance with NSG guidelines, the cabinet said in a statement.
As part of the effort, a Namibian delegation will lobby the International Atomic Energy Agency and the NSG chairperson on the sidelines of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Bloomberg reported.
Uranium, the primary fuel for nuclear reactors, is already among Namibia’s top exports. Output rose 59% in April from a year earlier, according to the Chamber of Mines, an industry lobby group.
According to the World Nuclear Association, Namibia’s uranium mines have the potential to supply up to 10% of global demand for nuclear fuel.
Namibia nuclear ambition
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah announced during her first State of the Nation Address this year that Namibia intends to begin discussions on developing its first nuclear power plant.
The move is aimed at harnessing Namibia’s vast uranium reserves, as it is currently the world’s third-largest uranium producer, and reducing the country’s heavy reliance on electricity imports from South Africa.
The country’s growing energy ambitions have drawn international attention, particularly from Russia, which has signalled interest in a potential nuclear partnership.