IAEA Hosts Workshop on Nuclear Law for Middle Eastern Countries to Strengthen Legal Frameworks

The event provided a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration on nuclear law, highlighting international standards and best practices.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) hosted a workshop on nuclear law from February 5 to February 9, 2025, at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The workshop, aimed at assisting Middle Eastern countries in aligning with international legal instruments on nuclear safety, security, safeguards, and civil liability for nuclear damage, brought together 12 participants from Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen.

The event provided a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration on nuclear law, highlighting international standards and best practices. Attendees gained insights through expert presentations, in-depth case studies, and discussions on emergency preparedness and response.

Amal Saif Omar from the UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) expressed the workshop's value in enhancing her understanding of nuclear law at both national and international levels. She emphasized that the shared national experiences and lessons learned would help strengthen their national legal frameworks.

Salah Alhasan from the Ministry of Interior of Bahrain praised the workshop for providing comprehensive insights into nuclear safety, security, safeguards, and liability. He noted that the expert-led discussions and case studies were instrumental in understanding the components of a robust national legal framework.

The workshop was part of the IAEA Legislative Assistance Programme and was organized under an interregional technical cooperation project. It builds on previous regional workshops held in December 2022 in the UAE and December 2019 in Vienna, Austria.

The IAEA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting countries in the Middle East in developing or enhancing their nuclear laws in line with international legal instruments and best practices.