The United Arab Emirates (UAE) successfully hosted the IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Services (IRRS) mission from 5 to 14 December 2011, primarily at the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
An international team of nuclear safety experts reviewed the UAE regulatory framework for nuclear safety and radiation protection, highlighted good practices and offered recommendations and suggestions which aim to improve the UAE's national regulatory infrastructure.
The IRRS mission team highlighted good practices of the UAE's regulatory system:
- Efficient use of international peer reviews, effective application of international standards and recommendations, such as the IAEA Safety Standards in establishing its regulations and guidance.
- Capacity building through developing scholarship programmes.
- Successful establishment of an integrated management system in FANR to ensure efficient operations of the Authority.
- Capacity building through developing scholarship programmes.
- Successful establishment of an integrated management system in FANR to ensure efficient operations of the Authority.
“We have had a very good interaction with our counterparts and we are generally satisfied with the progress that has taken place in the UAE” – commented Dr. Carl – Magnus Larsson, IRRS Team Leader, Australia – “If the State is embarking on a nuclear power program, there are a lot of Milestones to be achieved chronologically and considering the current stage of the UAE in the implementation of nuclear power program, the country is on track in terms of developing a safety infrastructure”.
The IRRS mission team offered recommendations to improve the UAE regulatory system:
- The UAE Government should specify the role and responsibilities of emergency response organizations.
- The UAE should finalize and implement a national policy and strategy for radioactive waste management.
- The UAE should finalize and implement a national policy and strategy for radioactive waste management.
During the Missions, the team of experts made visits to the proposed Barakah Nuclear Power Plant site in the Western Region of the Abu Dhabi Emirate as well as to medical and industrial facilities, and finally meet with key entities engaged in the nuclear energy program.
These missions enable the UAE to formally establish a sustainable nuclear programme in abidance to the framework recommended by the IAEA. Each mission brings the UAE a step closer to completing the necessary milestones in its establishment of a safe and secure nuclear programme.
About the IRRS Mission
The IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) missions are designed to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of the national nuclear regulatory infrastructure of States, while recognizing the ultimate responsibility of each State to ensure safety in this area.
This is conducted by considering regulatory, technical and policy issues, and ensuring their correspondence to IAEA safety standards and good practices.
