Cabinet approves Zimbabwe, Russia cooperation on nuclear energy

Image: For illustration purposes

Zimbabwe is contemplating is pursuing uranium exploration and enrichment to generate power (nuclear energy) in the wake of shortages that have hit the country in recent years.

Speaking during a post cabinet briefing yesterday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa said cabinet has approved the cooperation, which would see the two countries working together.

“Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation.

“The Memorandum seeks to facilitate higher level cooperation between the two countries in the use of nuclear energy,” she said.

This comes as a follow up to previous engagements, in 2019, late Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo visited the Kremlin, Russia, where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the “peaceful use” of nuclear power.

Former energy minister Fortune Chasi once told parliament last year that his ministry was in the process of coming up with a national integrated energy resource plan.

Though it is highly expensive to build nuclear energy production infrastructure, and with stringent international regulations, nuclear power facilities produce energy at 91 percent efficiency, 24 hours a day with zero carbon emissions.

At least around 13 percent of the world’s energy, mostly from Europe and America, comes from harnessing nuclear power.

-Zwnews