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    AFCONE Commissioners

    The African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE)

    The African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE), established under the Treaty of Pelindaba, is responsible for promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy, ensuring compliance with non-proliferation obligations, and coordinating related activities. The African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) is composed of twelve Members, each representing a State Party elected by the Conference of States Parties (CSP) for a three-year term, with eligibility for re-election. In electing Members, the CSP gives due regard to equitable regional distribution, the advancement of nuclear science and technology, and relevant technical or legal expertise. 

    In accordance with the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Pelindaba Treaty) and its Rules of Procedure, the Commission meets at least once a year in ordinary session and may hold extraordinary sessions as required. Its core functions include verifying compliance with Treaty obligations, collating and analysing reports from States Parties, reviewing the application of IAEA safeguards, arranging consultations and convening Conferences of States Parties, and promoting cooperation at regional and international levels. The Commission also works to establish and strengthen mechanisms for collaboration under the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Training and Development Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA).

    Republic of the Congo

    Gaspard Liyoko Mboyo

    Mr. Gaspard Liyoko Mboyo serves as the Commissioner representing the Republic of the Congo and is the current Chairperson of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). He is a Nuclear lawyer, a Safeguards inspector and a senior expert in areas of:

    ‎- Nuclear and radiation safety and security;
    – Non-proliferation of weapons of  ‎mass destruction (WMD), arms control and negotiation, and nuclear ‎disarmament.

    ‎‎He has extensive expertise in nuclear energy.

    ‎He has extensive expertise in nuclear energy. 

    ‎He has been coordinating the national nuclear programs on safety and security, and peaceful use of nuclear applications in Congo, for more than 10 years. He is the President of the national nuclear regulatory cell, in Congo.

    Mauritania

    Ahmed Bezeid Deida

    After a career at Radio and Television Mauritania and the Ministry of Health, Mr. Ahmed Bezeid Deida joined the National Authority for Radiation Protection, Safety, and Nuclear Security in Mauritania when it was created in 2010. He was the architect of its establishment and the drafter of all Mauritanian legislation relating to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

    Mr. Ahmed Bezeid Deida serves as the Commissioner representing the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Vice Chairperson, and Acting Executive Secretary of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE).

    Other professional activities:

    • External CBRN expert at ARSN
    • Permanent Secretary of the Mauritanian CBRN Committee
    • Deputy National Focal Point for the European Union Centers of Excellence on CBRN

    Mr. Deida has more than twenty years of professional experience in nuclear safety, security, and radiation protection. He was the Permanent Secretary of the Forum of Nuclear Safety and Security Authorities of the G5 Sahel countries and Senegal and has served as Mauritania’s Focal Point for the Treaty of Pelindaba, as well as for several international nuclear safety and security conventions and cooperation mechanisms with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

    In addition to his nuclear and regulatory responsibilities, Mr. Deida has held various national positions, including Legal Advisor to the Minister of Health, Legal Advisor to the Minister of Health and Social Affairs, and Journalist-Writer at Radio and Television of Mauritania. He has also served as President of the Board of Directors of Nouadhibou Hospital and chaired national committees on tobacco control, illicit drug markets, and radiotherapy projects. During this period, he implemented the entire legal arsenal relating to the reorganization and liberalization of the health 

    Algeria

    Abdelhamid Mellah

    Dr. Abdelhamid Mellah serves as the Commissioner representing the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). He is a senior expert researcher and research director with more than forty years of extensive experience in the field of nuclear engineering.

    Dr. Mellah holds an engineering degree in refining and petrochemicals from the National Institute of Hydrocarbons and Chemistry of Boumerdès (1984), a Magister in Nuclear Engineering from the High Commission for Research in Algiers (1987), and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Ferhat Abbas University of Sétif (2007). He further obtained an advanced certificate in Business Management from the Higher Institute of Management and Planning in Bordj El Kifan, Algiers (2015).

    He has held several senior positions within the Atomic Energy Commission (COMENA) of Algeria and was appointed Atomic Energy Commissioner by Presidential Decree in September 2019. He has published extensively, both nationally and internationally, and has delivered numerous scientific communications.

    Dr. Mellah served as President of AFRA (African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology, under the IAEA) from September 2023 to September 2024. In 2024, he was named by Stanford University (USA) among the top 2% of the world’s best scientists and most cited researchers.

    Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Gracien Bakambo Ekoko

    Professor Gracien Bakambo Ekoko serves as the Commissioner representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). He is a Professeur Ordinaire (Full Professor) in the Department of Chemistry and Industry within the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN). His academic and research work focuses on nanomaterials, thin films, nanotechnology, and radiological safety.

    Professor Ekoko has over two decades of academic and technical experience and has participated in national and international research projects in nuclear science, radiological protection, and materials engineering.

    Côte d’Ivoire

    Djalega Stéphane

    Mr. Djalega Stéphane serves as the Commissioner representing the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). He is the Head of the Radiological Protection, Nuclear Safety and Security Authority (ARSN) in Bouaké, with responsibility for the central and northern regions of Côte d’Ivoire. A Health Services Engineer in Medical Imaging, he has served as a Sworn Inspector of Nuclear Safety and Security since March 2018.

    He is also a Trainer in Radiological Safety and Security, having obtained a post-graduate certificate from the Institute for Research, Experimentation and Teaching in Pedagogy (IREEP) of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny University of Cocody in August 2020. With more than twenty years of experience in radiological safety and security, he has undertaken advanced training at the Algiers Nuclear Research Center (CRNA) in Algeria and the National Center for Radiological Protection (CNRP) in Rabat, Morocco.

    He has further served as Local Inspector of Safeguards for the IAEA and as Administrator of the State Declaration Portal (SDP) platform. He has held the position of AFCONE Commissioner for Côte d’Ivoire since June 2022.

    Niger

    Alkassoum Ousmane

    Mr. Alkassoum Osmane serves as the Commissioner representing the Republic of Niger on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). He is the Head of the Division of Nuclear Safety, Security, Conventions and Treaties within the Directorate of Nuclear Applications and Nuclear Energy at the Ministry of Energy of Niger, where he is responsible for drafting and implementing agreements with international partners in the field of nuclear electricity and the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. Mr. Osmane collaborates with the Niger High Authority of Atomic Energy (HANEA) in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on activities related to the peaceful applications of atomic energy.

    An Applied Physics Engineer by training, Mr. Osmane began his career as a teacher of physical sciences before joining the Ministry of Energy. He is also a member of Niger’s National Technical Committee for the Nuclear Energy Programme (CTNPEN), which contributes to the development and coordination of the national nuclear programme.

    Libya

    Musbah Alhengari

    Mr. Musbah A. A. Alhengari serves as the Commissioner representing the State of Libya on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). He is the Head of the Nuclear Generation Department at the Libyan Atomic Energy Establishment (LAEE).

    Mr. Alhengari holds a Master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom, and has extensive expertise in reactor core parameter calculations, reactor measurements, and the implementation of Libya’s nuclear energy programme. Throughout his career, he has contributed to strengthening Libya’s technical capacity in nuclear safety, security, and energy development, while actively supporting regional and international cooperation in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology.

     

    Mauritius

    Doumeraj Jahajeeah

    Mr. Doumeraj Jahajeeah serves as the Commissioner representing the Republic of Mauritius on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). He is currently the Director of Technical Services (Public Utilities) in the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities of Mauritius, where he is responsible for overseeing technical operations across the national public utilities sector.

    Mr. Jahajeeah also acts as the AFRA National Coordinator for Mauritius, supporting the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology. In this capacity, he plays a key role in advancing cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and in promoting the safe and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology at both national and regional levels.

    He has represented Mauritius in various international forums, including the Second Performance Review of the Green Climate Fund, and has contributed to regional and international discussions on renewable energy, climate change, water, and sustainable development. He has also served as a speaker and moderator in technical and policy conferences on energy and circular economy in Africa and beyond.

    Through his leadership roles in energy and public utilities, Mr. Jahajeeah has contributed to strengthening Mauritius’s national framework in energy governance and its engagement with regional and international partners on nuclear safety, security, and sustainable energy development.

    Namibia

    Nortin Titus

    Dr. Nortin Titus holds a PhD in theoretical nuclear physics and is the chief geophysicist and AFCONE Commissioner for the Government of Namibia, continuously engaged via several international treaty organisations and academic networks, appointed to co-manage promotion of Namibia’s natural resources, focusing on essential requirements in mineral exploration and mining development as well as engaged in long-term views on cross border application of nuclear energy. Currently he is the scientific attaché to the Permanent Mission of Namibia in Vienna and has advised the Governor of Namibia to the IAEA Board of Governors. He also serves as task force coordinator for the Group of 77 and China on CTBTO matters. Dr. Titus served as Chairperson of the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology, was a member of the Atomic Energy Board and the National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention as well as serving on the Scientific Curriculum Committee for the Namibia University of Science and Technology.

    South Africa

    Zaheer Laher

    Zaheer Laher serves as the Commissioner representing the Republic of South Africa on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). He is the Chief Director: United Nations Political, Peace and Security as well as the Acting Chief State Law Advisor (International Law) at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa. He has served in the Foreign Service for over twenty-seven years in which he has mainly worked in the area of multilateral diplomacy.  This includes serving for over eight years at the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations in New York where he also coordinated South Africa’s participation in the Security Council. His current responsibilities include working on South Africa’s engagements on international law matters as well as global peace and security issues including multilateral peace and security, transnational organised crime, disarmament and non-proliferation. His academic qualifications consist of a BA LLB LLM (WITS) and a Certificate in Conflict and Dispute Resolution (NYU).  He is an admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.

    Tanzania

    Najat K. Mohammed

    Prof. Najat Mohamed serves as the Commissioner representing the United Republic of Tanzania on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE). She is currently the Director General of the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC), a position she has held since May 2024, where she oversees the Commission’s daily operations. In this role, she also serves as Tanzania’s National Liaison Officer to the IAEA, the National Focal Point for CBRN matters, and the National Focal Point for AFCONE.

    Prof. Mohamed holds a Ph.D. from the University of Surrey, UK (2008), an M.Sc. in Physics from the University of Dar es Salaam (2000), and a B.Sc. (Education) with Honours from the University of Dar es Salaam (1996). She has built a distinguished career in academia and research, including over 17 years at the University of Dar es Salaam, where she advanced from Assistant Lecturer to Senior Lecturer, served as Head of the Department of Physics (2012–2018), and contributed to curriculum development and research in health-related trace elements, heavy metal pollution, radioactivity, and dosimetry. She was the first female head of the Department since its establishment in 1965.

    Beyond academia, Prof. Mohamed has held numerous leadership roles, including Vice Chair and Acting Chair of the Board of Directors of TAEC (2015–2019), President of the Tanzania Physical Society (since 2017), Chairperson of the Women in Nuclear Society of Tanzania (since 2023), and Member of the Governing Body of NACTVET (2021–2024). She has also contributed regionally and internationally as Tanzania’s contact person for the IAEA’s International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN) and as an active participant in the Zanzibar Outreach Programme (ZOP).

    With more than two decades of experience in nuclear science, higher education, and public service, Prof. Mohamed has established herself as a pioneer for women in science and leadership in Tanzania, and as a strong advocate for the safe and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology in Africa.

    Zimbabwe

    Dr. Gatsha Mazithulela

    Dr. Gatsha Mazithulela serves as the Commissioner representing the Republic of Zimbabwe on the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE), currently in his third term. He has also served as a Vice-Chairperson of AFCONE.

    Dr Mazithulela is a career scientist and senior government official with experience in the security sector, academia, business, and nuclear technology industries. 

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