An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert mission found a good level of emergency preparedness and readiness in the UAE, praising measures taken during an incident at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant on 17th May that prevented the situation from escalating.
Karine Herviou, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, told WAM that the advisory mission, requested by the UAE government following the incident, reviewed the plant's performance during the emergency, actions taken by its operator, emergency preparedness and response arrangements, and communications with the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).
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Speaking as the mission concluded its visit to the UAE on Tuesday, Herviou said the experts found that the plant operator had managed the incident effectively, while FANR had monitored and overseen the response in its regulatory capacity.
She praised the UAE's longstanding cooperation with the IAEA, including hosting and requesting several review missions to strengthen nuclear safety and security and develop its regulatory and operational systems in line with international standards.
Herviou recalled that the UAE hosted the IAEA's international ConvEx-3 emergency exercise in 2021, involving 75 countries and 12 international organisations to strengthen international preparedness and coordination in responding to nuclear and radiological emergencies.
She also highlighted the UAE's contributions to international conferences, the development of nuclear safety standards and nuclear security guidance.
Herviou said the mission's findings underscored the importance of advance preparedness and effective coordination between nuclear facility operators and regulators in ensuring an effective emergency response.