Nuclear renaissance in sub-Saharan Africa and the demands of emergency preparedness. With a case study of Ghana

Abstract

In the context of burgeoning nuclear renaissance in sub-Saharan Africa, an important nuclear safety question arises: do nuclear newcomer countries in the region have the capacity to develop a robust nuclear emergency preparedness and response infrastructure,and what are the challenges? With this question in mind, this master thesis encompasses five distinct research steps. Firstly, it identifies challenges that are specific to the region of sub-Saharan Africa and assesses their prevalence in the nuclear front runner countries.Secondly, it identifies and explores key requirements for nuclear emergency preparedness and response infrastructure outlined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).Subsequently, it derives vital regional requirements that are missing from the IAEA’sportfolio and combines them with IAEA requirements to create a weighted assessment model for nuclear emergency preparedness and response capabilities in countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Lastly, it undertakes a comprehensive case study focusing on the Republic of Ghana. The findings indicate a high prevalence of region-specific challenges in all nuclear frontrunner countries in sub-Saharan Africa and a mismatch between their nuclear ambitions and their performance in key development aspects such as economic health, basic infrastructure, and political stability. The results of the case study on Ghanaindicate below-average nuclear emergency preparedness and response capacity and offer valuable insights into key areas for improvement. The thesis concludes with a summary of key findings and practical recommendations for addressing identified challenges,providing a valuable resource for relevant authorities.