AFRA, or the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology, celebrates 25 years of cooperation with the IAEA this year. AFRA, an intergovernmental agreement which seeks to maximize the utilization of available infrastructure and expertise in Africa in the field of nuclear science and technology, entered into force on 4 April 1990.
Events to mark the 25th anniversary will kick off at AFRA's 25th Technical Working Group Meeting (TWGM), hosted by the Government of Lesotho from 19 to 23 May 2014 in Maseru. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the annual meeting of National Liaison Officers and AFRA National Coordinators. National representatives from IAEA Member States in the region will also attend the meeting.
The meeting launches a year-long celebration of the 25th anniversary of AFRA, and will feature an exhibition of AFRA's achievements as well as a day-long seminar on the contribution of the IAEA technical cooperation (TC) programme to socioeconomic development in the African region. Focus discussions will also be held on the contribution of the TC programme to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
AFRA's 25th anniversary celebrations will culminate in September 2014 with an exhibition and a panel discussion, taking place on the margins of the 58th Annual Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference.