1. Sudan/Russian Nuclear Power Cooperation Poses Proliferation Risks
- Author:
- David Albright, Sarah Burkhard, Allison Lach, Bridget Leahy, and Andrea Stricker
- Publication Date:
- 03-2018
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Institute for Science and International Security
- Abstract:
- Reuters reported on March 13, 2018 that Russia has agreed to sign a “roadmap” with Sudan on building nuclear power stations.1 However, Sudan has poor export controls, no adherence to nuclear power safety or nuclear terrorism conventions, and weak safeguards standards. Its neighbors also maintain poor implementation of these preventions against nuclear material and commodity theft or diversion. Russia should not build nuclear reactors in Sudan. Sudan should instead bolster its infrastructure so that it can at some point in the future underpin a well safeguarded nuclear power program backed by robust, internationally-acceptable strategic export controls. After reviewing data from the Institute’s Peddling Peril Index (PPI) for 2017,2 which ranks the efforts of 200 countries, territories, and entities to implement export controls and prevent trafficking in strategic commodities, Sudan and its bordering countries, such as the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan, are seen to pose a high proliferation and safety and security risk.
- Topic:
- Arms Control and Proliferation, International Cooperation, Bilateral Relations, and Nuclear Power
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Russia, Sudan, and Eurasia