13 Sep 2022

Botswana is  actively pursuing technology for development, including the use of nuclear and radiological materials.

  The country is therefore vulnerable to threats posed by nuclear and radiological materials, Minister of Defence and Security, Mr Kagiso Mmusi has said.

  He said this during the official opening of the 2nd INTERPOL Geiger Working Group meeting in Gaborone yesterday.

“We are much alive to the security challenges posed by some of these materials in our desire to develop our economies in sectors such as agriculture, health, energy to name but a few,” he said.

Minister Mmusi stated that the use of such materials called for protection from their hazardous effects.

That was why after realising the imminent dangers and challenges posed by the materials,  Botswana enacted relevant statutes to protect itself, he said.

Mr Mmusi said a Nuclear Management Authority had been set up to coordinate national response to safety and security challenges posed by ill-intentioned individuals and criminal syndicates.

In addition, he said Botswana continually strengthened its collaboration and state of readiness through exploring new and researched solutions, especially in view of a rapidly evolving security environment influenced by advances in technology and innovation.

Minister Mmusi also said the country was taking advantage of existing regional and international structures such as SADC, INTERPOL and UN to achieve global peace and security.

INTERPOL General Secretariat representative, Mr Matthew Thompson said INTERPOL existed to prevent and fight crime through enhanced cooperation and innovation. 

He said the regional working group was one example of support that INTERPOL could provide to achieve mutual goals and objectives.

Mr Thompson pointed out that radiological sites  were considered soft targets and were therefore vulnerable to theft or sabotage.

“We can all agree that the threat posed by radioactive or nuclear material in the wrong hands is a serious issue that we should address together,” he added.

For his part, acting police commissioner, Mr Phemelo Ramakorwane said the diversity in the meeting’s attendance, from law enforcement to security officials representing 10 SADC countries, showed the complexity of dealing with nuclear and radiological material.

The meeting, which started yesterday, ends Friday. Ends