CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFEGUARDS IN SQP STATES: THE
CASE OF CAMEROON

For States with less than specified minimal quantities of nuclear material and no nuclear material in a facility, some of the measures for verifying compliance with the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements (CSA) are held in abeyance, through a mechanism called the Small Quantities Protocol (SQP). As time passed, and based on lessons learned from challenges that IAEA safeguards faced in the meantime, it became clear that the original text SQP had limitations that posed significant risks with regard to the objectives of the CSA. The main limitations in the original text SQP was that the IAEA was unable to verify that a State met or continued to meet the eligibility criteria for SQP. Adoption of the modified text of the SQP is done a voluntary basis. Nevertheless, there are still many challenges to the implementation of safeguards agreements in SQP countries (whether their SQP is the original text or the modified text). In the case of Cameroon, these challenges, inter alia, are related to the development of the regulatory framework for safeguards implementation, the establishment of an effective SSAC, and communication with national stakeholders, particularly with regard to collecting information required for reporting under the CSA and Additional Protocol (AP). The government of Cameroon has taken some measures to address these challenges – such as the promulgation of a nuclear law, the creation of a working group, a notification system, and a partnership with customs authorities in order to enhance accountability for the import and export of nuclear materials. However, the lack of regulations and sufficient safeguards training of SA staff and other stakeholders, as well as the lack of appropriate equipment for nuclear material accountancy and verification are important challenges that requires more attention. It is proposed that Cameroon work with the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) as an African regional body in order to benefit from the good practices and experience of other SQP States in the region/continent.