…Country Programme Framework under development
BY KWANELE TSABEDZE
MBABANE – The Kingdom of Eswatini is assessing the nuclear energy opportunity with interest.
Today, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, in conjunction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) met to discuss the development of the Country Programme Framework (CPF) for 2024.
Speaking during the meeting, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Dorcas Dlamini said that the CPF is a crucial document for the whole country and will be prepared by Eswatini in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Secretariat.
She explained the role of the CPF in assessing the nuclear opportunity and viability for Eswatini.
“The CPF will define mutually agreed priority development needs and interests to be supported through technical cooperation activities. Furthermore, it will reflect our national development plans and priorities, country-specific analyses and lessons learned from past cooperation, and also take into consideration the Sustainable Development Goals, as appropriate,” said Dlamini.
She added that the CPF will also ensure that the application of nuclear technologies is integrated with existing development initiatives and plans, and supports the identification of areas where such technologies might be usefully deployed.
“The country is considering nuclear energy as a clean technology in the portfolio of options supporting sustainable energy development with the view that it can play an important role in the energy mix,” said Dlamini.
Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom. Atoms are tiny units that make up all matter in the universe, and energy is what holds the nucleus together. There is a huge amount of energy in an atom’s dense nucleus, which is released in nuclear reactors to produce electricity. Proponents of nuclear energy highlight that it produces a lot of electricity with very few negative effects on the environment.
