Russian moves in Africa

[Reuters, 22 February; Mosnews, 26 February]Russia's ministers of natural resources and nuclear energy, YuriTrutnev and Sergei Kiriyenko, have visited South Africa and Namibia.South Africa'sforeign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said talks had culminated in anagreement to cooperate through the fuel cycle up to nuclear powergeneration. During the visit, representatives of Russia's Tenex andRenova met with South Africa's Harmony Gold to sign a memoradum oncooperation in uranium mining. Tenex has the contract to supply SouthAfrica with low-enriched uranium, and was working to extend the deal to2020. In Namibia, an agreement to set up a joint uranium mining venturewas made by Tenex, Vneshtorgbank and Renova. Kiriyenko has saidRussia "is ready" to build a floating nuclear power plant in the country.