17 December 2009

United States, United Arab Emirates Sign Nuclear Agreement

United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba

Washington — The United States has agreed to provide cooperation and technical assistance to the United Arab Emirates as it develops a program to build a civilian nuclear power system to meet rising demands for energy.

Ellen Tauscher, the under secretary of state for arms control and international security, and United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba exchanged diplomatic notes in Washington that bring the landmark peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement into effect.

The agreement calls for both governments to cooperate in a number of areas for the development of the United Arab Emirates’ civilian nuclear energy program, which would contribute to efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation by not enriching uranium or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. In particular, the agreement is designed to foster joint ventures with U.S. firms for the design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants.

The government of the United Arab Emirates has announced plans to obtain nuclear energy production technology as a means of meeting projected national energy needs. According to a recent U.S. Congressional Research Service report, United Arab Emirates officials have estimated that power generation and transmission capacity must expand from about 16 gigawatts currently to 40 gigawatts by 2020 to meet projected increased demand.

During 2008 and early 2009 the George W. Bush administration and the United Arab Emirates negotiated the agreement, which is based on a section of the 1954 Atomic Energy Act. President Obama approved the agreement in May, and after a 90-day period of review by Congress without objection, the two countries signed a diplomatic note to bring the agreement into force.

The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Qaiwain, Fujairah, Ajman and Ra’s al-Khaimah.