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The Nuclear Threat Initiative’s 2026 Nuclear Security Index placed the UAE fourth out of 48 countries evaluated for protection of nuclear facilities against sabotage acts, a significant improvement that the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation highlighted in its announcement on September 23, 2026. The assessment also positioned the UAE 15th among 154 nations and territories in supporting global efforts to prevent the theft of nuclear materials, where it scored 85 out of 100 points, an increase of two points from the recalculated 2023 baseline. According to the index prepared in collaboration with the Economist Intelligence Unit, the evaluation draws on criteria including security and control measures, international standards, national commitments and capabilities, along with the overall risk environment.
The Nuclear Threat Initiative’s data shows the UAE raised its score for security and control measures from 66 points in 2023 to 86 points in the latest assessment, reflecting enhanced performance in this category. In contrast, the 2023 index had ranked the UAE 19th with a score of 78 for sabotage protection, according to the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s prior country report. The 2026 edition assessed 48 countries possessing at least one kilogram of highly enriched uranium, plutonium or a nuclear facility, a Nuclear Threat Initiative assessment found.
A Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation statement noted that the index represents an independent evaluation of global nuclear security conditions. The authority added that the results underscore advancements in national regulatory frameworks and alignment with international obligations. The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation oversees the country’s peaceful nuclear energy program, including the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.
All four units of the Barakah facility in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region entered commercial operations by September 2024, supplying around 25 percent of the UAE’s electricity needs and generating approximately 40 terawatt-hours of clean electricity annually, Gulf News reported. The International Atomic Energy Agency granted the UAE its highest “Broader Conclusion” recognition for the third consecutive year in the 2024 Safeguards Implementation Report, confirming that all declared nuclear material is used for peaceful purposes, a Gulf News article stated. This status places the UAE among a small group of countries achieving the top level of IAEA assurance on non-proliferation compliance.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation conducted 36 inspections at Barakah totaling nearly 1,300 person-days across safety, security, radiation protection and non-proliferation areas during the period covered in a February 2026 briefing. FANR Director-General Christer Viktorsson said in that briefing that 78 percent of the authority’s nuclear inspectors are Emirati nationals, reflecting efforts to build domestic expertise. The authority has also issued updated regulations on physical protection of nuclear material and facilities as well as cyber security, according to statements from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation.
The UAE acceded to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its 2009 amendment, while maintaining full implementation of related international instruments including the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, a Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation submission to an IAEA conference indicated. The country has hosted IAEA missions and technical meetings to strengthen its nuclear security sustainability plan, the authority reported. These steps form part of a broader commitment to integrated safety, security and safeguards in the national nuclear program.
