A National Seminar on Nuclear Law and International Legal Instruments was held in Dakar from 17 to 20 June 2019 to inform and raise awareness of government officials on the importance of an adequate national legal framework for the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technology.
The seminar was organized for stakeholders in relevant ministries and institutions in the context of the legislative process currently underway in the country for the revision of its nuclear legislation.
Deputy Government Secretary Papa Assane Toure welcomed the event organized by the Senegalese Authority for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (ARSN) in collaboration with the IAEA. “This seminar is very important for our country as we are seeking to finalize and adopt a new Nuclear Law on Safety, Security and Civil liability that will replace the current laws from 2004 and 2009,” he said. “This will allow Senegal to enhance its legal framework to the most recent international standards.”
Fanny Tonos Paniagua from the IAEA Office of Legal Affairs explained that Senegal is a party to several treaties adopted under IAEA auspices in the areas of safety, security, safeguards and civil liability for nuclear damage and that the adoption of a corresponding national comprehensive legal framework covering all those topics would be an important step in this context. “We hope that the seminar will be helpful for Senegal in these endeavors,” she said.
During the seminar, lawyers and other officials from a wide range of ministries and institutions in the areas of justice, health, agriculture, women and family, education, interior, economy, industry, transport, civil protection, energy, foreign affairs, economy and others gained a better understanding about the various areas of nuclear law and the related international legal instruments through presentations delivered by IAEA staff and experts and discussions on topics such as regulatory independence, radiation protection, radioactive waste management, emergency preparedness and response, nuclear security and civil liability for nuclear damage.
At the closing session ARSN Director General Ndeye Arame Faye Boye expressed her appreciation for IAEA’s assistance in the development of the new legislation in this field and in the conduct of the seminar and thanked the participants for their interest and active involvement during the event. “I believe that the information provided by the IAEA during this week has been very useful and look forward to your continued support for the completion of this project,” she said.
The seminar, implemented in the framework of IAEA’s legislative assistance programme, is one of many activities conducted under technical cooperation project INT0096 to support Member States in establishing and enhancing their national legal frameworks.
This seminar is very important for our country as we are seeking to finalize and adopt a new Nuclear Law on Safety, Security and Civil liability that will replace the current laws from 2004 and 2009. This will allow Senegal to enhance its legal framework to the most recent international standards.
