On 26 March 2024 in Sochi, Russia, Rosatom and the Ministry of Energy and Mining of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria signed a road map on cooperation in the area of peaceful uses of atomic energy.
The document was signed on the sidelines of 13th International Forum ATOMEXPO by the Director General of Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, on behalf of the Russian party, and by the Minister of Energy and Mining, Mohamed Arkab, on behalf of the Algerian party.
The road map provides for further joint activities of the parties within the period of up to 2025 with regard to a wide range of directions, such as nuclear energy, research reactors, cooperation in the area of nuclear fuel cycle. The parties agreed on further steps associated with the development of scientific and technological cooperation, personnel training, as well as cooperation on the global stage in the area of peaceful uses of atomic energy.
The parties also mapped out a number of joint arrangements as part of the document, including the organization of meetings of joint working groups, technical tours.
Commenting on the signing, the Director General of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev said: “Our relations with the Algerian partners are developing in a dynamic way. Last spring, we introduced our Algerian colleagues to the energy solutions of Rosatom and today we signed a document that defines the architecture of further cooperation between the Russian Federation and Algeria in the area of nuclear energy in its specific directions. We are totally encouraging our Algerian partners to develop the nuclear industry in the country. The nuclear technologies make not only a significant contribution to the responses to pressing and essential economic, energy and social problems, but also are an important step in the development of the science, human potential and ensure the technological sovereignty of the country. We are sure that our long-term partnership and unique solutions, unparalleled anywhere in the world, which Rosatom is currently offering globally, will ensure the groundwork for qualitative development of Algeria in the area of nuclear energy”.
Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Algeria is being implemented in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement on cooperation in the area of peaceful uses of nuclear energy signed in September 2014. In March 2023 Rosatom and the Algerian Atomic Energy Commission (COMENA) jointly organized a workshop on nuclear energy solutions for key stakeholders and companies in the Algerian energy market for the first time during which various directions of potential cooperation between the parties were reviewed in detail. In September 2023 Rusatom Healthcare JSC and COMENA signed the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in nuclear medicine.
Russia has a long history of successful cooperation with the countries of the region in the area of peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Starting from the 1960s, the research reactors (first in the region) based on Russian technologies with a capacity of up to 5 MW were built in a number of countries. Russia also provides training in the area of nuclear energy for the specialists from these countries. Rosatom is currently implementing the largest project in Africa – construction of El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt – which will consist of four units with a total capacity of 4800 MW per unit using generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors.
ATOMEXPO International Forum is one of the main congress and exhibition events of the world nuclear industry, organized with the support of Rosatom. The forum has been held since 2009. It is the largest business and exhibition space where leaders of major industry companies and leading experts discuss challenges of developing nuclear technologies, strengthen partnerships and exchange best practices. The format of the forum includes an exhibition and an extensive business program whose main topics traditionally cover the development of nuclear energy as an environmentally friendly energy source; human capital management; creation of nuclear energy infrastructure; energy financing and investment; development of non-energy nuclear technologies and many others. The Forum traditionally involves signing of cooperation agreements between Russian companies and foreign partners
As part of the demonstration of Rosatom’s commitment to the climate agenda, the carbon footprint of the 13th International Forum ATOMEXPO-2024 will be compensated using special certificates.