From 17-19 April, the Deputy Director General for Technical Cooperation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mr. Dazhu Yang, was in an official visit to the United Arab Emirates.
The two-day visit enabled him to tour IAEA technical cooperation project sites in the country and meet with government representatives and national counterparts to discuss ways to deepen IAEA’s cooperation with the UAE in priority areas. During the visit, Mr. Dazhu met with H.E. Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to the IAEA, and officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. They exchanged views on the on-going joint work between the UAE and IAEA TC Department in the area of nuclear power infrastructure development.
Mr. Dazhu’s visit to the UAE also included meetings with officials of UAE health authorities in Dubai and discussions of on-going collaboration and achievements of technical cooperation in the human health sector.
The meeting highlighted aspirations for fruitful cooperation on new initiatives set under the Practical Arrangement with the Dubai Health Authority regarding the IAEA curriculum for nuclear medicine professionals. Mr. Dazhu visited the Dubai Hospital, where a number of TC projects are underway to improve radiotherapy, nuclear medicine and medical imaging.
During the course of his mission, Mr. Dazhu also visited Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (KU) in Abu Dhabi, where he toured the Nuclear Engineering Department and discussed strategic-level collaboration to foster human resource capabilities and to support programmes on nuclear energy management.
Mr. Dazhu was briefed on activities of the nuclear engineering laboratories within the University with an emphasis on the Agency’s support in assisting KU’s Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute (GNEII) into a regional educational, training, and research hub.
With senior officials from NCEMA, Mr. Dazhu addressed a wide range of issues on the national Emergency Preparedness Plan, including regional cooperation through the ARASIA and GCC technical cooperation frameworks.
Many successful IAEA projects in the UAE have resulted from the strong collaborative work between these national counterparts and the Agency. The TC Deputy Director General’s visit highlighted overall the important role of technical cooperation between the UAE and IAEA, and the Agency’s unique support to development in the UAE through the TC programme.
Since joining the IAEA in 1976, the UAE has benefited from technical support through more than 150 national, regional and international TC projects. More information on UAE-IAEA technical cooperation is available on the Permanent Mission website.
The UAE has a dynamic TC programme with the IAEA that enables the country to benefit from nuclear and radiation related technologies for both its nuclear power and non-power sectors. The UAE currently has seven national technical cooperation (TC) projects with the IAEA for the 2016-2017 TC cycle in the areas of nuclear energy infrastructure; radiation, transport and waste safety infrastructure; nuclear emergency preparedness and response; radiation use in health care, cancer management and control; environmental monitoring; and radioactive waste management.
On-going National TC Projects for the 2016-2017 cycle include:
• Establishment of Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL);
• Establishing the National Radioactive Waste Management Infrastructure;
• Supporting a National Programme of Action for Cancer Treatment in the UAE;
• Enhancing Quality Assurance for use of Radiation in Healthcare;
• Strengthening Infrastructure for Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety;
• Enhancing National Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response;
• Supporting the Development of National Nuclear Power Infrastructure for Electricity Generation – Phase III.
