Workshop to Promote Bilateral Nuclear Cooperation between UAE and Japan

A bilateral workshop aimed at further strengthening nuclear cooperation was held between UAE and Japan officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi, on 23 January 2014.

 
The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Mr. Hirobumi Kayama, Director of the International Nuclear Energy Cooperation Promotion Division of Japan’s Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, METI.
 
More than 40 participants convened for discussions on ways to promote peaceful nuclear cooperation between the two countries. Key stakeholder participation included officials from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), the National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority (NCEMA), the Executive Affairs Authority, the Regulatory and Supervision Bureau, the Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, as well as representatives from the Japanese government and nuclear industry.
 
“This workshop was an important milestone for UAE-Japan nuclear cooperation. It allowed participants from both sides to discuss and identify areas where Japan’s Government and Industry can support UAE’s nuclear programme,” Ambassador Alkaabi said in his concluding remarks.
The workshop focused on multi-dimensional approaches and best practices in the field of nuclear power plant safety and emergency preparedness, as well as discussion of lessons learned from the Fukushima accident in Japan.
 
During the day-long discussions, participants worked together to identify priority areas for cooperation between the UAE and Japan in the nuclear sector.
 
A special emphasis was placed on areas of work such as emergency response systems, smart infrastructure networks for supporting nuclear power plant development, research and development, as well as capacity building. The workshop laid the groundwork for productive collaboration in the future.
 
UAE and Japan signed a bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement in 2013, during the official visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the country. The UAE-Japan agreement constitutes a framework that governs and facilitates cooperation in the area of peaceful nuclear energy and related applications between the two countries.