Nuclear Safety: IAEA Publication Details Joint Morocco-Spain Exercises

Rabat – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently issued a new publication on transport safety entitled “The Gate to Africa Exercise Programme: Morocco–Spain Joint Tabletop and Field Exercises on Maritime Security of Radioactive Material in Transport.”

The publication details the planning, conduct and evaluation of the Gate to Africa exercise program of joint tabletop and field exercises held in 2015, the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR) said in a statement.

It also summarizes the “Gate to Africa” exercise program, whose main objective is to discuss and assess the state of preparedness and response to a possible nuclear security event involving the maritime transport of radioactive sources, the same source added.

The publication also details the methodology used, the lessons to be learned and the findings of the exercises held as part of the “Gate to Africa” program.

In May 2012, Morocco, Spain and the IAEA jointly organized a technical seminar on the risk of nuclear terrorism. This led to the adoption of a Joint Action Plan that provided an adequate framework for conducting exercises for nuclear security events and radiological emergencies. The Gate to Africa exercise program on transport security is an implementation of the Joint Action Plan.

The lessons learned from these exercises have been used to develop another IAEA publication on the preparation, conduct and evaluation of exercises on the safe transport of nuclear and other radioactive materials and for the revision of the Agency’s Implementation Guide on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials.

Thus, it is intended to assist other IAEA Member States interested in implementing their own transport safety exercises by providing a documentary reference with specific data and practical cases.

The participation of Morocco in the preparation and conduct of the “Gate to Africa” exercises represents a substantial contribution to the strengthening of international nuclear security regime, the statement concluded.