African Union Commissioner H.E. Lerato Mataboge in company of AFCONE Chairperson H.E. Gaspard Liyoko MBOYO alongside Mr. William D. Magwood, Director General of Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in a historic signing ceremony to establish new chapter in strengthening nuclear cooperation, in Ethiopia on 13TH February 2026.
It is a historic move, the African Union Commission (AUC), African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) and Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) formalized a landmark partnership aimed at unlocking the future of Africa’s energy landscape.
“Today, we are not just signing MoU, we are charting a new course for sustainable nuclear energy for socio-economic development ”, AFCONE Chairperson H.E. Gaspard Liyoko MBOYO.
This collaboration framework brings together a strategic alliance of political, regional and international expertise needed to move nuclear energy landscape forward.
AFCONE, AUC and NEA delegation pose for a group photo, in Ethiopia on 13TH February 2026.
H.E. Lerato Mataboge emphasized the need for the MoU to trigger an immediate Action Plan for Capacity Building, Human Capital Development, nuclear infrastructure development and sustainable nuclear financing Initiative.
“We are meeting at a time when over 600 million African’s still lack access to electricity. The African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 therefore dictates that we utilize all available clean, reliable, and affordable energy sources”, said H.E. Lerato Mataboge.
AFCONE is an intergovernmental body responsible for ensuring that all nuclear developments on the Africa continent are committed to peaceful application as mandated by the Treaty of Pelindaba.
Working with NEA introduces tapping of international best practices, benchmarking regulatory frameworks, and fostering capacity building to manage the entire nuclear fuel cycle.
AFCONE and NEA delegation at the margin of African Union Summit, on 13th February 2026.
This partnership brings together the political and policy leadership of the AUC, the regional technical expertise of AFCONE, and the global knowledge base of NEA. The MoU builds on a shared commitment to ensure that nuclear energy is developed safely, securely, and sustainably.
The agreement is committed to tangible outcomes, focusing on capacity building and training, safety and regulatory Frameworks, knowledge transfer and strengthening Non-Proliferation mechanism.