Gulf nuclear research reactor will benefit region, say experts The Hague

A research reactor in the Arabian Gulf can help to train people in nuclear engineering and for scientific purposes, said Dr Peter Bode, an associate professor in nuclear science and engineering at the Delft University of Technology.

THE HAGUE // Experts have called on the Arabian Gulf to establish a regional nuclear research reactor to improve research and training opportunities in the region.

“In Abu Dhabi, we discussed whether a nuclear research reactor would be feasible,” said Dr Peter Bode, an associate professor in nuclear science and engineering at the Delft University of Technology.

“You can use it for many things – to train people in nuclear engineering and for scientific purposes.”

Although the response was “doubtful”, as the UAE might have been “too small”, Dr Bode said it would be more logical to have a regional research reactor.

"With the UAE's nuclear power programme, the region certainly should orientate itself on nuclear security education. At the moment, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is setting up guidelines for developing the infrastructure for a research reactor project."

Ambassador Hamad Al Kaabi, the UAE permanent representative to the IAEA, said it was important at this stage to focus on the development of required nuclear infrastructure. “There is definitely space for potential cooperation among countries in the region in infrastructure development,” he said.

“Safety, security and safeguards of a nuclear facility is the responsibility of the state where the facility is located and, hence, the importance of establishing adequate infrastructure.”

But new technology, and sharing of information between countries, can also lead to security risks.

Although information-sharing was said to be of top priority at the Nuclear Security Summit, a challenge will be to protect the countries’ sensitive documentation and technologies.

“The world understands that new technology is coming up and these are things that you need to look at from the perspective of non-state actors and terrorists and whether they can use that for malicious purposes,” said Bart Dal, the IAEA’s advisor for nuclear security and safeguards. “I think there’s a step forward.”

Jonathan Herbach, a research fellow in nuclear security and arms control law at Utrecht University, said the UK was developing a code of conduct on how to deal with information based on nuclear radioactive materials. “Academics want to make information available but at the same time we don’t want to participate in a disaster,” he said. “So it’s a fine line. Information security is being discussed on a lot of levels but it needs a lot of developing.”

Miles Pomper, a senior research associate at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, said cyber and information security were one of the most tackling issues in the industry.