UAE first Arab nation to host major nuclear conference

The UAE will host the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Biennial General Meeting next year.

The three-day conference is set to take place in Abu Dhabi from September 28-30, 2024, attracting 120 delegates from over 30 countries.

The announcement follows the appointment of Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) as the first Emirati and first Arab WANO President in October 2022.

WANO, which was established in 1989, is responsible for operating more than 430 nuclear energy reactors around the world including in the United States, Europe and Asia.

The UAE is accelerating the transition to clean energy sources with the Barakah Plant, which has three commercially operating nuclear reactors, with a fourth in the final stage of commission.

It currently generates 30 TWh of clean electricity every year.