NIGERIA TO ATTEND THE FEBRUARY 9-11 SHERPA MEETING IN THE

UNCLAS ABUJA 000194 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO ISN/TR AMBASSADOR JENKINS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO NSC LAURA HOLGATE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM EAID TBIO IAEA AORC CDG ENRG MNUC PGOV PREL UNGA NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA TO ATTEND THE FEBRUARY 9-11 SHERPA MEETING IN THE HAGUE REF: STATE 7493; 09 ABUJA 696 ¶1. (SBU) Embassy Political Counselor, ESTH Officer (note taker) and Dutch Economic and Trade Officer jointly delivered ref A points to the Director General of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) and recently-appointed Sherpa for the April 12-13 Nuclear Security Summit Professor Shemsiden Elegba on February 3. The Political Counselor explained the policy objectives of the Nuclear Security Summit and the difference between the Summit and the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference. Elegba accepted the invitation to attend the February 9-11 Hague Sherpa meeting. -------------- NIGERIA'S SOUS-SHERPA NAMED -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Elegba confirmed the appointment of Foreign Ministry First United Nations Division Director Maria Laose as Nigeria's Sous-Sherpa who will be joining him at The Hague. (NOTE: Laose formerly worked for Nigeria's Mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and is the point person for all matters nuclear in the MFA. END NOTE). Elegba found the objectives of the Nuclear Security Summit to be complementary to those of the NPT as well as the Forum of Regulatory Bodies in Africa (FORBIA),which he chairs. (NOTE: FORBIA, established in 2009, has 30 members and aims to harmonize and strengthen the nuclear safety and security regulatory framework of African nations. END NOTE). Elegba also welcomed the proposed March 8-12 visit to Nigeria by U.S. Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins. -------------- -------------- FORBIA TO ORGANIZE A NUCLEAR SAFETY AND SECURITY WORKSHOP -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Elegba informed the U.S. and the Dutch that FORBIA planned to host a one-day executive workshop on Nuclear Safety and Security in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the assistance of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),in May or June of this year. He said FORBIA decided to organize the workshop in response to a growing number of African countries expressed interest in developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes. He noted, however, that most of the countries do not have either regulatory frameworks or the means to implement them. He added that FORBIA is also concerned about failing states becoming dumping grounds for radioactive waste. Elegba expressed appreciation for the NRC's support and promised to coordinate closely with the U.S. on the workshop. MCCULLOUGH