Vienna, Austria, IAEA Headquarters, March 17-28, 2025 – In accordance with the provisions of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management and the Safety of Spent Fuel Management, ratified by Morocco in 2002, a national delegation composed of representatives from the Moroccan Embassy in Vienna/Austria, the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR), and the National Center for Energy, Nuclear Sciences, and Techniques (CNESTEN) participated in the 8th Review Meeting of National Reports from March 17 to 28, 2025.

At the opening of the meeting, Mr. Rafael GROSSI, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), highlighted the growing interest among Member States in small modular reactor (SMR) technology and emphasized that this meeting represented an opportune and crucial occasion to reflect on lessons learned from the past and reaffirm the importance of early planning and implementation of safe radioactive waste and spent fuel management policies and strategies for the future.

This 8th review meeting, held at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, aimed to present the national reports of the contracting countries on the safety of radioactive waste and spent fuel management, within an efficient, rigorous, and transparent process. This would lead to the identification of good practices and performance, reinforcing the global safety regime. More than 1,000 delegates from 77 contracting countries, grouped into eight Working Groups, gathered for ten days to share their experiences and lessons learned on the safe, secure, and responsible management of spent fuel and radioactive waste, and to respond to various questions posed to each country.

Regarding the national report, AMSSNuR’s representative, in their role as the focal point for this convention, delivered Morocco’s presentation on March 18, 2025, as part of the work of Working Group 5, in which Morocco participated alongside the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Argentina, EURATOM, Thailand, Benin, Eritrea, Madagascar, and Oman.

The presentation focused on Morocco’s national program for the management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, notably the legislative, regulatory, and institutional framework involved in this process, as well as the national inventory of radioactive waste and sealed radioactive sources that are no longer in use. The presentation also addressed the developments in the national program since the 7th Review Meeting in 2023, the common issues identified, and Morocco’s efforts to improve the safety of radioactive waste management.

Additionally, the national presentation included responses to questions and comments raised during the 8th Review Meeting process, as well as good practices and successful actions undertaken by Morocco.

At the conclusion of the presentation, the representatives of the Contracting Parties in Working Group 5 commended Morocco’s efforts in terms of the regulatory approach adopted and the operational practices implemented to strengthen and ensure the long-term safety of radioactive waste and spent fuel management.

Regarding the regulatory aspect, members of Group 5 praised the development and certification of AMSSNuR’s integrated management system, which they deemed a best practice contributing to good governance and the promotion of a safety culture. This best practice will be cataloged in the Joint Convention’s database, accessible to all contracting parties.

As for the good performance encouraged by the Joint Convention, the results of the EPREV and IRRS missions, hosted by Morocco in 2022 and 2023 respectively, as well as the national efforts made, were highly appreciated as values of transparency and good governance to be shared at the regional and international levels.

Additionally, it is worth mentioning that, upon the proposal of the presidency of the 8th meeting, Morocco was invited to a roundtable on March 24, 2025. The aim of this roundtable is to share Morocco’s experience in Knowledge Management applied to the management of radioactive waste and the management of disused sealed radioactive sources at the national level.