July 27 2023 – The Governments of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Burundi have signed a Memorandum on cooperation in the field of peaceful atomic energy. The memorandum was signed by Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM, from the Russian side, and Albert Shingiro, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation in the Republic of Burundi. The signing took place on the sidelines of the Second Summit Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum.
The document allows the initiation of specific projects in a wide range of areas. These include assisting in the establishment and improvement of Burundi’s nuclear infrastructure; legal regulation in nuclear and radiation safety; conducting fundamental and applied research in the area of peaceful atomic energy; radioisotopes production and its application in the industry, medicine, and agriculture; cooperation on radiation technologies and nuclear medicine; personnel training and specialists education for the nuclear industry.
The agreement entails the creation of a joint coordination committee; specific projects implementation and scientific research conducting; exchange of experts, arranging seminars and conferences; support in scientific and technical personnel training; exchange of scientific and technical information, and supply of equipment, materials, and components.
Prior to the signing of the agreement, a technical tour was conducted for the Burundian delegation, led by the Burundi’s President E. Ndayishimiye, to the flagship Gen 3+ project of Russia’s nuclear industry – the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant. During the visit, His Excellency the President Ndayishimiye visited the main control room and the turbine hall, gaining insights into the advanced VVER-1200 reactor and its active and passive safety systems.
