Burkina Faso – Russia: Cooperation / Progress in discussions on the construction of a nuclear power plant
Burkina Faso is strengthening its cooperation with Russia in the field of civil nuclear energy, with plans to build its first nuclear power plant. On the sidelines of Burkina Faso’s Economic Days in Moscow on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, the Minister of Energy, Mines, and Quarries, Yacouba Zabré Gouba, along with his technical team, held a working session with a ROSATOM delegation led by Deputy Director General Nikolay Spasskiy. This meeting marks the third of the year to assess the progress of this strategic energy project.
The cooperation between Burkina Faso and Russia in nuclear energy aims to boost the country’s energy capacities while adhering to international standards. The process of constructing the nuclear power plant is progressing in accordance with the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). To date, the roadmap has been signed, along with three memorandums, marking a crucial step in the preparatory phase of the project.
Currently, Burkina Faso is finalizing the last stage of the administrative phase: the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between the two countries. This agreement, already drafted, is essential to initiate the next phase of the project. According to Minister Gouba, “the framework agreement will allow us to launch the other necessary procedures, notably those related to the effective start of construction of the nuclear power plant”. This signature represents a decisive turning point in the development of Burkina Faso’s nuclear program, which aims to diversify its energy mix and strengthen its energy independence.
As part of this collaboration, Russia is also providing support in technical training. Burkina Faso has been awarded four scholarships for students to study nuclear science at top Russian universities. Minister Gouba confirmed that the selection process for the scholarship recipients has already been completed, and these students will be sent to Russia by the end of October 2024 to begin their training.
This initiative goes further, as ongoing negotiations have led Russia to agree to increase the number of scholarships to six, allowing more young Burkinabè to gain the skills needed to manage and operate the future nuclear power plant.
