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UAE President issues law on peaceful uses of nuclear energy
posted on 05/10/2009
 His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE issued Federal Law No. 6 of 2009 Regarding the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.
The law represents a key component of the necessary legal infrastructure, in accordance with the criteria set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as a framework for the successful implementation of a peaceful nuclear energy sector.
The law also institutionalized other elements of the UAE's policy on the evaluation and potential development of a peaceful nuclear energy program, which was published in April of 2008, including prohibiting the development, construction or operation of uranium enrichment or spent fuel reprocessing facilities within the borders of the UAE. International nuclear non-proliferation experts have described the fulfilment of this key non-proliferation commitment as an important factor in demonstrating the completely peaceful nature of the UAE's nuclear energy program. Equally worth note is the law's establishment of a safety regulator and the development of mechanisms to preserve its regulatory independence and fiscal sustainability. These are important steps in achieving the UAE's aspiration of delivering the highest standards of safety within any future peaceful nuclear energy program.
In keeping with its policy commitment to complete operational transparency, the UAE consulted closely with the IAEA, as well as the governments of major nuclear suppliers (e.g., France the US, the UK, Japan, South Korea etc.) in the development of the law. All of these parties provided valuable feedback that contributed to the development of this legislation. The law was also circulated broadly within the UAE among federal and local authorities, where additional useful feedback was provided to ensure seamless implementation.
Key features of the law include:
1) The establishment of the "Federal Authority of Nuclear Regulation", a fully independent nuclear safety regulatory authority, which aims to oversee the nuclear energy sector in the state and to promote the highest standards of nuclear safety, nuclear security and radiological protection;
2) The development of a robust system for the licensing and control of nuclear material; and
3) The criminalisation and assignment of harsh civil and criminal penalties for violating the law, including the unauthorized use, theft, transport or trade in nuclear materials.
In conjunction with the passage of the Federal Nuclear Law Regarding the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, the Cabinet of Ministers also passed a resolution appointing the members of the Board of Management for the new regulatory body.
The Board of Management, which will be led by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Mazroui as Chairman, includes: 1. H.E. Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi - Deputy Chairman
2. Mr. Ali Shaer Sultan Al Dhaheri - Member
3. H.E. Saif Mohamed Al Zaabi - Member
4. H.E. Majid Ali Al Mansouri - Member
5. H.E. Ambassador Hamad Ali Al Kaabi - Member
6. Dr. Abdulkader Ibrahim Abdulla Al Khayat - Member
7. Dr. Ali Mohamed Shaheen - Member
8. Representative of the Ministry of Environment and Water – Member.
The newly-appointed members of the Board of Management bring deep experience in various disciplines, including: public health, environmental protection, energy, industry, research and academia.
Under the law, members of the Board of Management enjoy significant legal protections designed to prevent any conflicts of interests with their role as regulators, as well as to preserve their independence in making regulatory or licensing decisions. As one of its first steps, the newly convened Board of Management confirmed the appointment of Dr. William D. Travers as the first Director General of the new nuclear regulatory body. Dr. Travers, previously served as a senior technical advisor at the IAEA, as well as the Executive Director for Operations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of the United States, which is considered one of the leading regulatory bodies in the world.
Upon the formation of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Mazroui, the newly appointed Chairman of the Board of Management stressed the importance of safety in developing a nuclear energy sector in the UAE.
"We fully understand the unrivalled importance of safety with regard to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and are committed to ensuring that the benefits of peaceful nuclear energy, whether within the areas of electricity generation, medicine, industry or agriculture, are only made available in a manner that does not compromise public safety or the environment", Al Mazroui said. He also thanked the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, as well as the Vice President and Prime Minister, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for the confidence that they had shown in the newly appointed board." - Emirates News Agency, WAM
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