Morocco showcases radioactive waste management experience at IAEA General Conference

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By: Azzat Manal

Morocco showcases radioactive waste management experience at IAEA General Conference

Morocco has highlighted its experience in managing radioactive waste during a side event held on the margins of the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, taking place from September 14 to 18, 2026. The event brought together Moroccan institutions and international partners to discuss safe and sustainable approaches to radioactive waste management.

The meeting was organized by Morocco’s Permanent Mission in Vienna and the National Center for Nuclear Energy, Sciences and Technology (CNESTEN), in cooperation with the IAEA, the U.S. Department of Energy, Hungary-based Izotop and U.S. company Newave. The discussions focused on Morocco’s national experience and the importance of strengthening technical expertise, infrastructure and international cooperation in this sensitive field.

In his opening remarks, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the IAEA, Ambassador Azzeddine Farhane, stressed that the growing use of nuclear and radioactive technologies in peaceful applications requires effective systems for managing the resulting waste. Nuclear techniques are widely used in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, industry and scientific research, making the safe handling of radioactive materials an important component of radiation protection and environmental safety. The IAEA likewise emphasizes that radioactive waste management is essential to the safe and sustainable use of nuclear technologies.

Morocco presented its approach as one combining national responsibility, specialized infrastructure, professional training and international cooperation. The country has also developed experience in collecting, treating, conditioning and storing radioactive waste, while building technical capabilities for handling radioactive sources that are no longer in use.

CNESTEN Director General Hamid Merah outlined several aspects of Morocco’s experience, including procedures for withdrawing and transporting high-activity sealed radioactive sources that have reached the end of their operational use. Such sources require controlled management because their safe handling, storage and eventual disposal are key elements of radiation protection.

The event also featured contributions from experts representing the IAEA, the U.S. Department of Energy, CNESTEN and international companies specializing in radioactive materials and waste management. Their discussions underlined the role of knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and technical cooperation in helping countries strengthen their national radioactive waste management systems.

Morocco has previously presented its national experience in this field through IAEA forums. An IAEA publication on radioactive waste management notes that Morocco has developed national policies and strategies in line with international commitments, including its participation in the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.

The Vienna meeting also highlighted Morocco’s interest in expanding South-South cooperation, particularly with African countries. The approach reflects the broader role of international cooperation in helping countries develop the expertise and infrastructure required to safely manage radioactive materials and waste.

By presenting its experience at the IAEA General Conference, Morocco placed its national practices within a wider international discussion on the safe, responsible and sustainable use of nuclear technologies. The exchange also provided an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and share technical knowledge with other IAEA Member States, particularly in Africa.