IAEA delegation to visit Sudan this week to assess plans to import nuclear reactor
August 21, 2010 (KHARTOUM) – A delegation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is due to visit Sudan this week to advise on the country’s plan to import a “peaceful nuclear reactor”, state media reported.
According to SUNA, the country’s official news agency, the IAEA’s delegation will be in Khartoum from August 23 to 26 to discuss with competent authorities Sudan’s progress in implementing a feasibility study on the possibility of importing a nuclear reactor for “research purposes.”
SUNA stated that Sudan established its nuclear programme in early 2010 “in line with the state’s pursuance of a peaceful nuclear programme.”
The director-general of the Sudanese Corporation for Nuclear Power, Mohamed Ahmed Hassan Al-Tayeb, said the IAEA experts would advise local staff on preparing a feasibility study on how to make the most of the nuclear reactor in terms of training human resources and producing radioactive isotopes for medical and industrial purposes.
Al-Tayeb further disclosed that Sudan had entered the practical phases of producing nuclear electrical power as part of a long term plan, devised by the National Electricity Corporation, to fulfil increasing demand for electrical power by 2030, adding that Sudan expects to build its first nuclear power station in 2020.
Earlier, on August 4, Sudan’s minister of science and technology, Issa Bushra, had announced that the country had received approval from IAEA to construct two nuclear reactors.
Despite the oil boom noticeable in Sudan’s capital Khartoum, most of the country’s peripheries remain critically underdeveloped.
(ST)
Samani
IAEA delegation to visit Sudan this week to assess plans to import nuclear reactor
Despite the oil boom unnoticeable in Sudan’s Southern capital Juba, All of the country’s peripheries remain critically underdeveloped.
Paul Ongee
IAEA delegation to visit Sudan this week to assess plans to import nuclear reactor
Ya Samani,
What is the point of getting excited as if Sudan’s economic outlook is bright without the southern Sudan oil? Can you imagine how economic climate of the Islamic Republic of North Sudan will be compared to Iran’s? Will be murky. Believe me or not. Last year after establishing the so-called Aircraft Manufacturing Plant (instead of calling it Assembly Plant) in North Omdurman, Khartoum claimed that it has built an aircraft called SABAT. I thought that the few opulent NCP diehards would own a considerable number of Sudan-made SABATS. Instead they end up owning U.S, European or Russian-made planes.
In essence, the plant is meant for manufacturing weapons, not a single aircraft that any Arab country cannot or should not even attempt to dream of manufacturing. Iran may build non-electronic parts but NEVER the key components of a plane. Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran and other Arab countries are now building helicopters for domestic applications but NEVER electronic parts. They have to be imported from U.S, Europe or Russia. Note that there is a big difference between manufacturing and assembling. Southern Sudan is set to establish a good number of Assembly Plants after secession from the North because of its splendid economic outlook.
Why does Iran often complain of lack of aircraft spare parts? Is it because of economic embargo imposed by the U.S or because Iran doesn’t yet have the brain to manufacture the key components? After all, all the materials of nuclear facilities in Iran are made and built by Russian engineers. It took Iran 35 good years to become a nuclear-energy-producing State although the process was interrupted by Iranian Revolution of 1979.
This week Iran will starts installing nuclear reactors made and built by Russia to start generating electricity possibly by the end of next month. Even the installment operation will be entirely done by Russian engineers. That’s why U.S is confident based on Russia’s reassurance that Iran is still far from technological know-how. If Iran is still at this stage what about Sudan? If it’s a matter of jump-starting technological know-how, South Sudan will be better off than Islamic Republic of North Sudan.
Manufacturing aircraft or nuclear equipment as claimed by Khartoum is not easy as sponsoring terrorism or committing suicide bombings. We all know why an Arab envies western technological know-how. Praying with loud noise would not even help that kind of brain to think rationally besides living in denial. Got it?
Paul Ongee
Khartoum, Sudan