Introduction

The 17th World Conference on Non Destructive Testing was held recently in Shanghai, China. SAIW's Jim Guild, Centre Technique des Industrie's Macanique et Electrique's (CETIME) Ferid Herelli and K.A Danso of the National Nuclear Research Institute Ghana Atomic Energy Commission reported back to the Conference on the progress made by the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA).

AFRA, an initiative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is an association to facilitate regional cooperation between its member states in order to address development problems including the application of appropriate nuclear science and technology and the sharing of resources and facilities in the African region.

Guild says that AFRA is a magnificent example of mutually beneficial cooperation and is a clear statement of what is possible when nations work together towards a goal of common good. FUSION is pleased to be able to summarise the report back.

• There are 17 countries participating in NDT projects in the AFRA region: Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

• The IAEA has, since 1979, provided NDT expertise, equipment and fellowships to the AFRA projects, the most important being: RAF/8/032 – strengthening regional training capability in NDT which ran from 2002 to 2006 and the most current project, RAF/8/043 – promoting sustainability of NDT facilities, which began in 2007 and is due to run until 2011.

• Current project: AFRA 8/043

The specific goals of the current project 8/043 include:

• Establishing a network of approved training bodies throughout the region
• Ensuring that NDT service facilities have a viable strategic plan.
• Ensuring NDT service facilities adopt good managerial practices for quality management.
• Sharing of resources for expansion and promotion of income generating activities

• IAEA/AFRA – summary of key successes

• Regional Designated Centres (RDC's) - South Africa (SAIW) for Anglophone countries and in Tunisia (CETIME) for Francophone countries - established at the beginning of RAF/8/032 to underpin project and officially recognised as centres of expertise by the IAEA.

The main objectives of RDC's are: to foster technical cooperation between developing countries (TCDC) within the region; to enhance regional self reliance; to transfer technology and disseminate innovation in the region; teaching and on the job training of NDT personnel; certification of NDT personnel at Levels 1, 2 and 3 in the RT, UT, MT and PT according to ISO 972.

• Adoption of ISO 9712 as the basis for training and certification of NDT personnel
• Certification programmes accredited by International Accreditation Forum organisations for compliance with ISO 17024 the relevant international standard for bodies certifying personnel
• Training of core groups of personnel from each of the member states.
• Establishment of well equipped NDT laboratories and NDT societies in 12 member states.
• The formation of African Federation of Non Destructive Testing (AFNDT).

Conclusions

The IAEA/AFRA initiatives have been an outstanding example of cooperation and are beginning to make a palpable difference to the levels of NDT knowledge both academic and practical in Africa.