Although details are sketchy about the agreement on co-operation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy, signed between Pohamba and Singh in New Delhi on Monday, international media reports have linked Namibias willingness to sell uranium to India to the construction of nuclear plants locally.
In terms of the agreement, the two sides will trade uranium and exchange expertise in designing of atomic plants and training personnel, Asian News International (ANI) said yesterday.
The financial website Bloomberg quoted the Press Trust of India as saying: India and Namibia signed a civilian nuclear co-operation agreement to trade uranium and build nuclear power plants.
According to the International Business Times, the Indo-Namibian agreement in peaceful uses of nuclear energy allows for supply of uranium and setting up of nuclear reactors.
After inking the agreement on Monday night, the media quoted Pohamba as saying: I believe that we have the best uranium in the world.
Government is on record for toying with the idea of nuclear energy since 2007.
According to the World Nuclear Association, Government has committed to a policy position of supplying its own electricity from nuclear power by about 2018.
Cabinet decided last June that the Ministry of Mines and Energy should develop a nuclear regulatory framework, while pursuing a nuclear power and uranium beneficiation strategy.
At the time, Cabinet motivated its decision saying it will provide for a long-term solution to the shortfall in electricity generation capacity, and that it will result in the local processing of the countrys vast uranium resources.
Namibia has significant uranium reserves and the country can gain more of these reserves could have value added locally being uranium enrichment prior to export, Cabinet said then.
The nuclear regulatory framework will have to deal with issues regarding licensing, building, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of all nuclear establishments and facilities.
The proposed new law, to be developed in conjunction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also needs to look at procedures for the transport and storage of economic waste.
Namibia and Indias newfound uranium friendship has its roots in a meeting between State for Commerce Minister Jairam Ramesh and Prime Minister Nahas Angula in March last year.
At the time, India had not yet secured a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to trade in uranium, since the country had refused to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
Namibia, not part of the NSG, was seen as a solution to Indias search for fuel to enhance its nuclear power generation.
However, the NSG lifted its embargo last September. Since then, India has concluded similar uranium agreements with the United States, Russia, France and Kazakhstan.
The Namibian
Post published in: Economy