Morocco Becomes a Member of the International Standards Commission

On behalf of the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR), Morocco has successfully joined the International Commission on Nuclear Safety Standards (CNS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The director of the AMSSNuR, Khammar Mrabit, has just been selected by the IAEA Director General as a member of the CNS for four years. This appointment reflects the recognition and status that the Kingdom of Morocco holds in Africa and internationally in the strategic areas of nuclear and radiological safety and security, the Moroccan agency said in a statement.

According to the statement, the prestigious commission is a specialized body composed of 25 high-level officials and national experts from more than 170 IAEA member States and is entrusted with the responsibility of establishing standards and guidelines for nuclear and radiological safety and security and other regulatory documents concerning the use of nuclear energy, ionizing radiation, the transport of radioactive materials and radioactive waste, as well as preparing for and responding to nuclear or radiological emergencies.

Its objective is to establish a strategic direction for the development, review and approval of safety standards, fundamental principles and safety requirements to be submitted to the IAEA Board of Governors for approval.

Furthermore, it is intended to determine the adequacy of safety guides to be issued under the authority of the IAEA Director General, to provide advice and general guidance on safety standards aspects, on regulatory matters and on the IAEA’s safety standards activities and related programs, including those for the promotion of the implementation of those standards at the international level.

Moreover, the WANSO notes that, in view of the current health circumstances related to the Covid-19 pandemic, a 47th meeting of the NSC, in which Khammar Mrabit participated, was held by videoconference on 4 June 2020 for discussions on the Coronavirus and its impact on the activities of nuclear and radiological safety and security authorities, as well as for the approval of projects for the publication of standards and guidelines and the review of the future four-year action plan based on the assessment of the achievements of the previous term of office. During this virtual meeting, NSC members also exchanged views on the draft work plan prepared by the IAEA Secretariat on the potential impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on safety standards.