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The Board of Management of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation reviewed regulatory updates and initiatives to improve operational efficiency and national capabilities in the nuclear sector during its meeting, according to the Emirates News Agency. Hamad Al Kaabi, the FANR director-general, briefed participants on regulatory operations and organisational changes that encompass customer experience improvements, the debut of the UAE’s first National Environmental Radiation Measurements Portal and advances in building domestic nuclear expertise. The session also covered the authority’s international engagements and its preparations for participation in upcoming major nuclear discussions and forums.
The Emirates News Agency reported that the board received an update on the recent visit by International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi to the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, where he praised the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy programme and its adherence to the highest standards of safety, security, transparency and global cooperation. FANR maintains continuous oversight of the plant’s four operating units through inspections that verify compliance with all regulatory requirements for safe and secure performance. The UAE nuclear programme has positioned the country as the first Arab state to operate a nuclear power station, with Barakah contributing substantial clean electricity to the national grid.
Board members examined progress toward issuance of a new regulation on enforcement actions, identified as FANR-REG-18, which creates a structured approach for applying corrective measures, administrative fines and penalties to entities operating under Federal Law by Decree No. 6 of 2009. The framework is designed to increase the effectiveness and transparency of regulatory supervision while promoting higher levels of compliance across the nuclear and radiation sector. Development of the regulation reflects FANR’s ongoing refinement of its oversight tools as the national programme matures.
The board approved several new memoranda of understanding and agreements slated for conclusion in 2026 that address nuclear and radiation safety, nuclear security, emergency preparedness and response as well as research and development collaboration, the Emirates News Agency stated. These pacts build upon FANR’s established pattern of international partnerships, including its recent chairmanship of IAEA committees focused on regulatory capacity building that extended through 2027. Earlier board sessions have similarly endorsed arrangements with bodies such as the IAEA to strengthen medical response capabilities during radiological emergencies.
Additional briefings detailed regulatory research activities in nuclear safety, radiation protection, environmental studies and emerging technologies, with particular attention to expanding Emirati involvement and translating findings into evidence-based decision making. FANR is advancing an Agentic AI Transformation Programme that supports the government’s digital objectives by integrating artificial intelligence into regulatory procedures, services and operations under strict governance and human oversight. The authority’s efforts align with its prior adoption of knowledge management frameworks that earned ISO 30401:2018 recertification, placing it among a small group of nuclear regulators meeting that global benchmark.
