Rabat – Morocco has been unanimously chosen by African member states of the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development, and Training in Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA) to host the 37th meeting of its Technical Committee in 2026.
The decision was announced during the 69th regular session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference, held from September 15 to 19 in Vienna, Austria.
The event will be hosted at Morocco’s National Center for Energy, Nuclear Science and Technology (CNESTEN).
As part of this development, CNESTEN Director General Hamid Marah will assume the AFRA chairmanship in September 2026.
AFRA, which brings together around 40 African countries with the IAEA serving as its depositary, is a key framework for regional cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology.
Morocco’s upcoming AFRA presidency, coinciding with its mandate on the IAEA Board of Governors, further points to its role in promoting South-South cooperation.
Morocco has established itself as a driving force in developing African expertise in peaceful nuclear applications, building on decades of cooperation within the framework of the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development, and Training in Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA), created in 1990.
Speaking on Wednesday, Moroccan Ambassador to the UN Office in Vienna, Azzedine Farhane, emphasized that “hundreds of African experts” in nuclear energy and science have taken part this year in training programs, workshops, fellowships, and degree courses hosted in Morocco.
A member of the IAEA since its founding in 1957, Morocco has consistently renewed its engagement with the agency, most recently through the 2022 Rays of Hope initiative, which aims to expand access to cancer treatment across Africa.
The project, where Morocco played a leading role, designated the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat as an Anchor Center to support radiation therapy and nuclear medicine, with nearly 90 countries seeking assistance through the program.
By coupling technical training with collaborative initiatives, Morocco has reinforced its own expertise and Africa’s broader capacity to deploy nuclear technologies for socio-economic development in fields ranging from health and agriculture to energy and water management.
