UAE, Japan sign up for nuclear cooperation

A cooperation agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy signed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Japan clears the way for the transfer of nuclear materials, technology and related items between the two countries.

A cooperation agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy signed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Japan clears the way for the transfer of nuclear materials, technology and related items between the two countries.

Energy figured in a UAE-Japan business forum during Abe's visit to Abu Dhabi # (Image: WAM)

The document was signed by the two countries' ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency in the presence of UAE vice president Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe during an official visit to Abu Dhabi by Abe.

Construction work is already under way on the UAE's first nuclear power reactor at Barakah, where a South Korean-led consortium is to build two 1400 MWe pressurized water reactors. Preparatory work is under way for the second unit, and the two are scheduled to start up in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Applications to construct a further two units at the site were submitted to UAE nuclear regulators in March.

Japan joins the USA, South Korea, France, Canada, Russia and Argentina in the list of countries having signed nuclear cooperation agreements with the UAE. In addition, the UAE has in place a memorandum of understanding on nuclear cooperation with the UK and bilateral nuclear safeguards agreements with Australia and Canada.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News