On October 22, Dar es Salaam hosted the first Russia-Africa Women’s Forum, “Dialogue of Continents: Nuclear Energy for the Future,” co-organized by the Rosatom Women’s Community and Women in Nuclear Tanzania (WiN Tanzania). Experts from Uganda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, South Africa, Egypt, Zambia and Russia identified promising areas for international technological cooperation and the development of women’s professional opportunities in the nuclear and related industries.
Held with the support of the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, WiN Africa and Rosatom State Corporation, the Forum brought together representatives of more than 25 organisations, including the Atomic Energy Council of Uganda, the Radiation Protection Authority of Zambia, the Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Muhimbili National Hospital and universities from Russia and Tanzania. The international professional community was represented by the Rosatom Women’s Community, WiN Africa and national Women in Nuclear chapters from African countries. Schoolgirls from Chang’ombe Secondary School were the Forum’s youngest participants. Four thematic sessions covered women’s role in nuclear energy, nuclear medicine and mining, workforce training, and encouraging girls to pursue STEM disciplines.
A key outcome of the Forum was the signing of international memoranda of cooperation between women’s professional communities from African countries and Russia. The parties agreed to develop international mentoring, exchange professional experience, support young professionals, promote nuclear education and advance women’s leadership. A cooperation roadmap for 2026–2028 was also signed with WiN Africa, which brings together professional communities from more than 22 countries across the continent.
Rosatom State Corporation has established a comprehensive system to support women in industry and technology, bringing together professional development, mentoring, leadership training and international cooperation programs.
“Our goal is to turn the exchange of expertise into practical projects that open up new professional opportunities for women and enable nuclear technologies to improve people’s quality of life,” marked Deputy Director General for Human Resources at Rosatom State Corporation Tatiana Terentyeva.
“For us, cooperation with Africa is a major, systematic effort. Today, our projects and initiatives reach 20 countries across the continent. During preparations for the Forum alone, we held six international video meetings with professional communities from Zambia, South Africa, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Our next step is to develop joint mentoring programs, exchange expertise and create new opportunities for women to build their careers in the nuclear industry and other high-tech fields,” highlighted Head of the Rosatom Women’s Community and Member of the Council of the Eurasian Women’s Forum Aleksandra Ryabykh.
“For us, it is especially important to encourage girls and young women to study science, engineering and nuclear technologies. International cooperation opens up new opportunities to share knowledge, train specialists and develop national expertise. During the session on workforce development, we heard voices from several generations, from university leaders to a schoolgirl who has already visited the North Pole. I am confident that the agreements reached today will lay the foundation for new joint projects between women from Russia and Africa,” mentioned Director General of the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission and President of WiN Tanzania Najat Kassim Mohamed.
WiN Tanzania now brings together 160 women from different professional backgrounds. According to Najat Kassim Mohamed, Tanzania is working toward universal access to electricity by 2030, exploring the potential use of nuclear energy and expanding nuclear medicine and radiation technology. These developments are increasing demand for engineers, physicists and radiation safety specialists. She also highlighted the Mkuju River uranium project, implemented by Mantra Tanzania, a company of Rosatom’s Uranium One Group, as one of the priorities for the development of Tanzania’s southeastern region.
