Zambia hosts Nuclear Security Detection regional workshop

The Zambian government has issued a strong call for enhanced regional collaboration to track, detect, and manage nuclear and radioactive materials that bypass standard regulatory frameworks. Addressing delegates at a high-level regional workshop hosted in Lusaka, officials from the Ministry of Technology and Science emphasized that existing security gaps at border crossings and transit routes pose significant transboundary threats. Representing Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu, Radiation Protection Authority (RPA) Board Chairperson Msafiri Sinkala noted that safeguarding the nation against illicit trafficking cannot rest on regulatory bodies alone. Instead, an integrated approach involving customs, national security organs, law enforcement, and technical specialists is urgently required. Given Zambia’s expansive borders and its position as a major trade corridor in Southern and Central Africa, any oversight in one jurisdiction can quickly translate into an acute security hazard for neighboring states. Experts at the forum underscored that nuclear security architecture must be rigorously tested under real-world conditions rather than evaluated solely on paper policies. Operational challenges such as equipment malfunctions, staff rotations, and evolving smuggling techniques demand continuous capacity building and technical vigilance. The workshop has brought together key technical delegates from across the region alongside international partners to evaluate detection architecture vulnerabilities and streamline cross-border intelligence sharing. This initiative aligns with Zambia's broader push to build a transparent and secure framework for peaceful nuclear applications, ranging from energy exploration to medical uses. As the country steps up cooperation with bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stakeholders hope these collaborative dialogues will bridge operational gaps and establish robust defenses against illicit radioac