Risk Communication: Challenges and Good Practices from the Moroccan Experience

Information and communication are strategic instruments that support organizations to achieve their regulatory objectives. The law n°. 142-12 related to safety and security and the creation of the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security "AMSSNuR" (the Moroccan Regulatory Body) assigns clear responsibility to AMSSNuR for information of and communication with interested parties, including the public, about the potential risks associated with facilities and activities involving ionizing radiation sources as well as the regulatory decision making processes. In its strategic vision, AMSSNuR aims to establish itself as an independent, efficient, credible and transparent regulatory body. For this purpose, AMSSNuR developed the strategic plan 2017-2021, which covers all its regulatory functions including information and communication as an important element in helping to build public confidence. Thus, the development and implementation of a reliable and transparent communication policy which aims, inter alia, to inform interested parties about the risk aspects of installations and associated activities involving ionizing radiation sources is one of the strategic objectives of AMSSNuR.