Kigali, Rwanda: African presidents and international delegates from the nuclear community gathered in Kigali on Tuesday for the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa, where presidents from several countries called for Africa’s energy sovereignty through a local nuclear programme.
In a statement at the summit, the President of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, stressed that Africa’s nuclear energy development should be strictly monitored and managed by the continent.
“Nuclear energy in Africa won’t be an imported energy; it’ll be an energy that’s locally designed, produced and governed for Africa,” Gnassingbé said.
Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, backed this call for international collaboration to achieve energy sovereignty through a balanced energy transition. “The government of Tanzania strongly supports the idea of regional cooperation towards nuclear energy development in Africa,” Hassan stated.
Since several African states have been considering ways to reduce dependence on expensive foreign energy sources, the conference focused on the advantages of using Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The president of the host country, Paul Kagame, noted that this type of reactor is highly practical for the continent because it is compatible with existing infrastructure.
“Small modular reactors are the best choice for Rwanda, but for many other African countries also, because they allow gradual integration into the grid at a much lower price.” According to Kagame, nuclear energy will complement Africa’s natural renewable energy potential, such as sunlight and hydropower.
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