Abu Dhabi, February 13 (BNA): Regulatory expertise and responsiveness to new and emerging challenges in a changing environment as well as regulatory approaches to innovation and technologies are at the core of the discussions taking place in Abu Dhabi.
In one of the largest gatherings of nuclear and radiological regulators, more than 580 participants from 95 Member States and four international organizations will discuss these topics and more at an international conference focused on the role of the global regulatory community in ensuring effective regulatory systems.
“This conference, the Sixth International Conference on Effective Regulatory Systems, plays a major role in the field of nuclear, radiation and nuclear safety,” said Lady Evrard, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security.
She added that collectively exchanging regulatory experiences and expertise, disseminating knowledge as well as exchanging best practices, lessons learned and new solutions will help regulators and the international community to contribute to global efforts to enhance nuclear safety and security.
“The environment in which we operate is always evolving. Some of the changes we are experiencing can be disruptive. Within our mandates as regulators and as the IAEA, we have to adapt our way of working to meet these new challenges, while maintaining a focus on maintaining safety.” and nuclear security at the highest possible levels.
The four-day “International Conference on Effective Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Regimes: Preparing for the Future in a Rapidly Changing Environment” will cover regulatory approaches to innovation and emerging and new technologies, including regulatory coordination and international and regional cooperation.
Other key topics to be addressed are concrete efforts to maintain regulatory credibility and trust as well as capacity building to ensure regulators are prepared for future needs through education, human resources, knowledge management and knowledge networks.
Extending the life of nuclear facilities, decommissioning them, and the safe and secure management of radioactive sources and radioactive waste will also be discussed.
The permanent representative of the UAE to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Hamad Al Kaabi, said.
“This will ensure that our regulatory infrastructure is efficient, effective and capable of addressing these trends. The development of a strong nuclear regulatory infrastructure in the UAE has been the result of our long and strong cooperation with national and international partners, in particular our close cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.”
He added that the IAEA’s support, since the start of the UAE’s nuclear energy program in 2008, has been instrumental and important in developing regulations, policies and standards, thus setting the UAE as a role model for new nuclear countries.
The International Atomic Energy Agency is organizing the February 13-16 conference, which is the sixth in a series of international conferences on effective regulatory systems, and is hosted by the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation in the United Arab Emirates.
The first conference was held in 2006 in Moscow, followed by Cape Town in 2009, Ottawa in 2013, Vienna in 2016 and The Hague in 2019.
In a side event – Youth Panel: Young Professionals Competition – young professionals will present initiatives and ideas for improving the effectiveness of nuclear regulatory regimes as well as a panel discussion, exhibition and posters presenting the cases of technologies and practices of different countries.