TITLE:
Prevention and Management of Risks Related to Radiological and Nuclear Materials under International Nuclear Law: Case Study of the Democratic Republic of Congo
AUTHORS:
Serge Ngabu Kilo, Parfaite Hanyie Nyazungu
KEYWORDS:
Risks Prevention and Management, Nuclear and Radiological Materials, Nuclear Security and Nuclear Safety, Democratic Republic of Congo
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.9 No.4,
April
27,
2021
ABSTRACT: We
conducted this research on the prevention and management of risks related to
radiological and nuclear materials within the framework of international
nuclear law, using the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a case study. This
was based on the observation that in the DRC, the protection of the Congolese
population and the environment against the effects of ionizing radiation is
marked by certain shortcomings, despite the mechanisms put in place. From the
outset of our research, we assumed that this situation is due to the
non-compliance of national legal texts with international nuclear safety and
security requirements. Precautions must therefore be taken. Dangers in the use
of nuclear energy can result from the mishandling of nuclear and radiological
materials, illicit trafficking and their use for criminal purposes. To this
end, international nuclear law attaches particular importance to the protection
of people and the environment against the dangers of nuclear and radiological
materials. This justifies the diversity of the norms and the search for
consistency in their revision, the objective being to ensure the best possible
protection of the population and the environment. The DRC can greatly benefit
from these international standards to strengthen its statutory and
institutional framework for the protection of the population and the
environment against the dangers of ionizing radiation. Thus, our study examines
and questions the Congolese legal system, to find its weaknesses and propose
the amendments best suited to the requirements of international law, in view of
the contemporary issues at stake in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the
world. The importance of this study lies not only in understanding the
international mechanisms for the protection of the population and the
environment against the risks of radiation, but also in the need and urgency to
guarantee better protection of the population and the environment through
better regulation in the Democratic Republic of Congo