IAEA Backs Cameroon and Ghana to Strengthen Nuclear Safeguards Systems

In 2025, both countries advanced legal and regulatory reforms under COMPASS—an IAEA capacity-building initiative designed to help States meet their international safeguards obligations.

Cameroon and Ghana are strengthening their national nuclear safeguards frameworks with targeted support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reinforcing their commitments to nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear material.

In 2025, both countries advanced legal and regulatory reforms under COMPASS—an IAEA capacity-building initiative designed to help States meet their international safeguards obligations. These obligations give the IAEA the authority and responsibility to verify that nuclear material and technology are used exclusively for peaceful purposes.

Launched in 2020 by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, COMPASS supports countries in strengthening State systems of accounting for and control of nuclear material (SSACs) and the effectiveness of State or regional authorities responsible for safeguards (SRAs)—critical components of a credible global non-proliferation regime.

Tailored, country-specific support

Beyond legal and regulatory reform, COMPASS provides country-specific technical assistance across:

• Nuclear material accounting, control and reporting

• Export and import controls

• Information management systems for SSACs

• National inspections and facilitation of IAEA verification

• Human resources development, recruitment and training

“We consider COMPASS a unique opportunity to improve Ghana’s legal and regulatory framework in the safeguards domain,” said Ambassador Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, Ghana’s Permanent Representative to the IAEA. “It helps us identify best practices and concrete improvements to ensure full alignment with our safeguards agreement and additional protocol.”

Building safeguards capacity in Cameroon

In February 2025, Cameroon hosted a National Training Course on Safeguards Implementation in Yaoundé, where IAEA experts worked with legal specialists from the Cameroonian Radiological Safety and Nuclear Protection Authority (ASRAN) to lay the groundwork for a new safeguards-related decree.

Since March, France’s Member State Support Programme has been assisting ASRAN in refining the draft decree to ensure Cameroon’s national framework fully aligns with its safeguards commitments.

The training also brought together customs officials, government ministries and nuclear-material users, strengthening national awareness of safeguards roles and responsibilities.

“Customs officials are eager to develop the capacity to implement the safeguards elements relevant to our work,” said Fabien Herve Wembe Saha, Assistant Research Officer at Cameroon’s General Directorate of Customs. “This reinforces safeguards culture and clarifies each stakeholder’s role.”

Strengthening Ghana’s legal framework

Also in February, Ghana participated in a Joint Review of Nuclear Law and Safeguards-Related Regulations at IAEA headquarters in Vienna. Supported by the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), the review examined Ghana’s:

• Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) Act

• Draft safeguards regulations

• Draft safeguards guidance

“These insights came at a critical moment,” said Emmanuel Ampomah-Amoako, Director of Nuclear Installations at Ghana’s NRA. “They gave us clarity and confidence to finalise amendments that fully align with our international safeguards obligations.”

Peer learning and global impact

The progress made by Cameroon and Ghana was highlighted at a side event during the 69th IAEA General Conference in September, where representatives from both countries and the United States shared lessons on peer-to-peer cooperation.

Director General Grossi underscored the importance of continuing COMPASS to deliver tailored, practical support to States.

“The effectiveness of a country’s SSAC and SRA is key to enabling efficient IAEA verification,” said Igor Tsvetkov, Section Head in the IAEA Department of Safeguards. “COMPASS helps ensure safeguards are implemented effectively and efficiently.”

Following a successful pilot, the IAEA is now finalising the first COMPASS cycle (2024–2026) with four participating countries: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon and Ghana.