Moroccan Nuclear Security Training and Support Centre: Contribution Tool for National Capacity Building

Capacity building is a concept defined within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a set of a systematic and integrated approach that include a) education and training; b) human resource development; c) knowledge management; and d) knowledge networks in order to get a continuous improvement of competencies of governments, organizations and individuals in the fields of the safety, security and sustainability of a nuclear power program [1]. The paper will be focused on the first component of education and training, particularly training. At this moment, Morocco does not have a nuclear power program; however capacity building within all national competent authorities is taken into consideration by providing training. Approach to training is translated through establishment of a Nuclear Security Training Support Centre (NSSC) in 2009 with the support of IAEA. The NSSC is guided by a national steering committee representing competent authorities (regulatory body, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Health, Army, security organizations, Customs, National Centre for Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology (CNESTEN) as NSSC secretary and coordinator). A national training needs assessment has been conducted within all stakeholders, based on IAEA nuclear security training catalogue. During the last eight years (2010-2017), 55 workshops and courses, at both the national and regional level, were conducted involving approximately 1750 personnel. An average of 200 persons has been trained each year, and average of 6 activities was conducted under the national NSSC. The beneficiaries of these activities are mainly national competent authorities, users of radioactive material and participants from other countries. International cooperation is also an important component for the success of NSSC activities: most of the NSSC activities are done with the support of IAEA and the US Department of Energy (DOE). The sustainability of NSSC activities is taken in consideration within Moroccan Integrated Nuclear Security Support Plan (INSSP) and bilateral cooperation with other countries (US /DOE) and organizations. (author)