Deputy Chair and hon members, as I stated at the recent Nuclear Security Summit that was held in Seoul, South Korea, South Africa remains committed to the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. This commitment is reflected in our Nuclear Energy Policy and Strategy of 2008, as well as laws passed by this Parliament, such as the Nuclear Energy Act of 1999 and the National Nuclear Regulator Act, Act 47 of 1999. South Africa's position on nuclear energy is informed by the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, foster the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and further the goal of disarmament.
South Africa was the first African state signatory to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. In the last three years, South Africa signed bilateral co-operation agreements on civilian nuclear energy technology with the People's Republic of Algeria in May 2010, and with South Korea in October 2010. As a signatory to the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty, the South African government does not enter into nuclear agreements with private companies.
The nuclear co-operation agreements that South Africa has signed with other countries commit the signatories to pursuing mutually beneficial areas, which include research and development; the use of nuclear applications in health and agriculture; nuclear safety, radioactive waste and spent fuel management; decommissioning; and radiation protection, including emergency preparedness and response.
South Africa, like many other developing countries, faces the challenge of meeting the needs of people who still lack access to basic, modern energy services, while at the same time participating in a global transition towards clean, low-carbon energy systems. To meet these needs and to contribute to the global efforts for renewable and sustainable energy, we need to see broad changes to the way we generate energy, by developing a diverse energy mix and encouraging investment in alternative energy sources, including nuclear energy.
None of the nuclear co-operation agreements signed thus far affects the provinces.