At the request of the UAE Government, a team of IAEA safeguards and legal experts together with invited international experts conducted two workshops on the international safeguards system and export control regime for UAE’s nuclear program stakeholders in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
From 9 to 12 December 2012, the second National Workshop on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol gathered about 60 participants from UAE government and industry organizations.
The workshop focused on the requirements of the IAEA and the FANR Safeguards, presented to industry, the primary constructor and operator of the nuclear facilities at the UAE and approximately forty additional “Locations, Outside Facilities” (LOFs), which hold smaller amounts of nuclear material. FANR experts explained to other stakeholders the national regulatory requirements issued in FANR regulations.
“As with all high goals, hard work is involved: it is absolutely crucial that the UAE is in compliance with all of its international treaty obligations,” highlighted Christer Viktorson, FANR DDG for Operations.
During the workshop participants reviewed the legal framework for safeguards regulations, and specific requirements.
of the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and Additional Protocol that the UAE has implemented. It was also discussed the interpretation of these requirements into UAE law and FANR regulation, and finally, how each attending organization can fulfil their requirements.
The team of IAEA and the participating experts continued their support through another National Workshop on Practical Issues of Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol Implementation during the same week focusing mainly on FANR Safeguards team. The interactive training took place during the week of 13-19 December 2012 at the FANR headquarters.
This training was broad-scoped to cover all aspects of reporting to the agency as a regulatory body in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but also covered specific detailed topics related to how the IAEA will evaluate the UAE and draws a safeguards conclusion, preparation of various reports, clarifications of Additional Protocol requirements. An in-field demonstration of nuclear detection equipment for safeguards was given at a local industrial radiography licensee facility, and an in-field exercise for the participants was held at Khalifa University in which FANR Safeguards personnel were required to identify unknown radioactive materials using standard in-field IAEA equipment.
