The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the IAEA have established a new Member State Support Programme (MSSP) to aid the IAEA's nuclear verification mission, an activity commonly known as safeguards. The new MSSP arrangement with the IAEA, signed on 7 March, will be coordinated through the UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR). It allows the UAE and the IAEA to closely work together to address opportunities and challenges in nuclear safeguards in the coming years.
Nuclear safeguards are technical measures, embedded in agreements between the IAEA and a State, which are implemented by the IAEA to provide the international community with assurances that nuclear material remains in peaceful use.
"There is no alternative to strong, up-to-date global safeguards implementation," said Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the IAEA and Deputy Chairman of FANR's Board of Management, at the signing of the new MSSP practical arrangements. "The UAE's Member State Support Programme will provide tailored, practical support for IAEA safeguards. This new arrangement is a reflection of the UAE's conviction that IAEA safeguards will remain a priority into the future."
Whether through financial contributions, training, technology transfer, or expert collaboration, MSSPs support the work of the IAEA to verify the peaceful use of nuclear material and to keep pace with the latest developments in the nuclear field.
"I am delighted to welcome an important new partner in support of IAEA safeguards," said Massimo Aparo, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards at the IAEA. "In recent years, the UAE has invested in and developed their infrastructure for a nuclear power programme. We look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together, and leveraging the UAE's accumulated expertise."
With the new UAE MSSP, the IAEA now has 23 MSSPs providing vital support to the work of the Agency's Department of Safeguards. For example, MSSPs support the research and development of new safeguards equipment and technology, and provide safeguards projects with dedicated funds. This directly helps the IAEA achieve its nuclear safeguards priority objectives and continue to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of safeguards implementation.
"Through the addition of the UAE MSSP, the Agency gains another partner, expands the geographical representation of our MSSPs, and offers scope to further support our development and implementation needs," said Chris Dierickx, Technical Programme Coordination Officer at the IAEA Department of Safeguards. "By working together, the UAE MSSP will support specific efforts to enhance IAEA safeguards implementation worldwide."
