• Togo signs five-year nuclear cooperation deal with IAEA

• Framework supports cancer care, agriculture, energy applications

• IAEA to assist on safety, regulation and institutional capacity

Togo signed a five-year Country Programme Framework agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday, paving the way for the peaceful use of nuclear technology in the West African country.

The document was signed in Vienna by Foreign Minister Robert Dussey and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. The agreement runs from 2026 to 2031.

Under the deal, the IAEA will support Togo in using nuclear technology in priority sectors including cancer treatment, agriculture, food security and energy, as well as other civilian applications. Togo was elected to the IAEA Board of Governors in September 2025.

The agreement is expected to strengthen oversight of nuclear research, training and related programmes, particularly in health, agriculture and energy. In January 2025, the government created an Atomic Energy Commission.

Through the partnership, Togo also aims to address structural challenges, including strengthening its legal and regulatory framework, nuclear safety and radiation protection, and securing adequate funding. The country will receive technical and institutional support from the IAEA throughout the implementation of its nuclear policy.

Esaïe Edoh