Regional workshop focuses on developing and implementing a national security detection architecture |21 June 2022

The opening session of the workshop yesterday (Photo: Thomas Meriton)

The Ministry of Employment & Social Affairs in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency is currently hosting a regional workshop to develop and implement a national security detection architecture.

The workshop, which will run until June 24, 2022 is being held at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Hotel.

The aim of the workshop is to assist the four member states – Seychelles, Mauritius, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo – in the planning, organising or reviewing a national security detection Architecture for Material out of Regulatory control. Three experts from the IAEA are also participating in the workshop.

The objectives of the workshop are to sensitise member states on the importance of having a national security detection architecture for material out of regulatory control; know the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders and evaluate existing national capacity and existing resources and make proposals based on gaps identified.

Tara Diallo, director Labour Monitoring and Compliance at the Employment department, explained what nuclear security is. The IAEA defines nuclear security as “the prevention and detection of and response to, theft, sabotage, unauthorised access, illegal transfer or other malicious acts involving nuclear materials, other radioactive substances or their associated facilities”.

Nuclear security threats may not always originate from our respective shores but also from external sources such as sources and materials that are out of regulatory control such as lost, misplaced or stolen materials.

“Having outlined the above, there is a continuous need to keep on strengthening nuclear security in all our countries based on emerging risks. As has been said on many occasions, ensuring safety and security is primarily the responsibility of each State and having recognised the far-reaching consequences of nuclear and radiological emergencies, it is of utmost importance to have strong national infrastructure,” stated Ms Diallo.

She further noted that developing a road map for building a nuclear security detection architecture requires the active participation of all relevant agencies in accordance to their respective mandate. The consolidated capabilities of all concerned will signify the sustenance of coordination among, and commitment through the allocation of sufficient human and technical resources to carry out nuclear security responsibilities.

“In this regard, the Seychelles also faces similar challenges in implementing a framework and best practices relating to nuclear security. The need to continuously sensitise and have on-board remains a test we still need to surpass. To our national stakeholders and international participants; We should not lose focus of the key objective at hand, and that is to contribute to the comprehensive assessment of nuclear security detection architecture and implement nuclear security detection concepts,” expressed Ms Diallo.

Seychelles has been a member of the IAEA since 2003 and benefits mostly from technical assistance through established national projects, notably in enhancing capacity building of staff and work equipment which enable the Competent Authority to carry out its daily activities.

The Radiation Safety and Security Act was enacted in 2014 and the Radiation Safety and Security Regulations were approved by the cabinet of ministers in November 2019. The Competent Authority has also issued a guide in 2014 which outlines the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders in handling radioactive sources.

The Competent Authority has already initiated certain activities such as pre-inspection of facilities, devising an inventory of sources and as aforementioned training of staff members.

For the time being, Seychelles has no plan/system in place in order to cater for radioactive sources  out of regulatory control, however close monitoring is done at facilities having disused sources. Therefore the participation of Seychelles is vital in devising the necessary strategies in that aspect.

Vidya Gappy