34th AFRA Technical Working Group Meeting (TWGM)

From 18 to 22 June, through its Atomic Energy Commission (COMENA), Algeria hosted the 34th AFRA Technical Working Group Meeting (TWGM). This annual meeting of AFRA National Coordinators (NCs) contributed to review the 2022 AFRA programme activities and shared updates on the development of the new Regional Cooperative Framework (RCF) 2024-2028.

The TWGM brought together 30 NCs, as well as the AFRA Chair and Chairs of AFRA’s three management committees, the Programme Management Committee (PMC) and the Human Resource Development Committee (HLSC).

The meeting was opened by welcome remarks by Algeria AFRA National Coordinator, Mohamed Mahlous and statements from the AFRA Chair, Fidele Ndahayo. The official statement was made by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Abdelkrim Aouissi.

The meeting reviewed among others, the implementation of the AFRA programme in 2022, financial situation of the programme, reporting, strengthening the AFRA Network of Education in Science and Technology (AFRA-NEST). AFRA NCs were encouraged to ensure their respective governments had acceded to the revised AFRA Agreement, and to pay their national contributions to the AFRA Fund.

The IAEA is supporting AFRA activities to train a new generation of African scientists with opportunities for both short- and long-term education programmes. These include tertiary academic programmes, including Master’s and PhD sandwich programmes and the Postgraduate Education Training Courses (PGECs).

Central to the deliberations of the meeting participants was the development of a new RCF, a document which aims to produce greater alignment between the IAEA regional TC programme for Africa and the AU Agenda 2063.

“A Taskforce Meeting for the formulation of the new five-year RCF of AFRA for the period 2024–2028, took place recently in Dakar, Senegal,” explained DDG Hua Liu. “The new RCF focuses on five technical cooperation thematic areas. It also takes into consideration the Global Development Agenda—especially the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

Mickel Edwerd, Section Head TCAF1