Australia, which holds 40 per cent of the world's known uranium reserves, expects soon to start negotiations to sell radioactive ore to the UAE to provide fuel for the nuclear power programme.
The Australian foreign minister, Kevin Rudd, announced while visiting Abu Dhabi yesterday that the country intended to work towards a bilateral uranium trade agreement with the Emirates.
Such an agreement would open channels for the UAE to purchase and import fuel for its first nuclear reactors, which are slated to be in service by 2017. The US$20 billion (Dh73.45bn) nuclear power project, headed by the government-owned Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec), would be the Arab world's first civilian atomic energy development. The programme has been hailed as a model of transparency and engagement with international efforts to limit nuclear arms proliferation and promote nuclear safety and security.
"Australia welcomes the UAE's efforts to establish a responsible approach to nuclear power generation and hopes that it will serve as a model for other countries in the Middle East," Mr Rudd said.
Talks between the two countries will focus on nuclear safeguards and details of the proposed use of nuclear fuel in the UAE programme, which aims to broaden the Gulf oil exporter's sources of energy for domestic consumption while reducing carbon emissions from its power sector.
"A bilateral safeguards agreement with Australia is a further strict non-proliferation condition that Australia requires for supplying uranium," Mr Rudd said.
The UAE, which hosts the Middle East headquarters of the Australian military, is a signatory to the UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has also signed the "additional protocol" of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on nuclear safeguards. The UAE has held a seat on the IAEA's board since last year, reflecting the country's commitment to being a role model for other developing nations seeking nuclear power.
Australia, which has 22 nuclear safeguards agreements with 39 nations and the island of Taiwan, is the third-largest producer of uranium ore, behind Kazakhstan and Canada. One of its largest uranium customers is China, which is expected to build 110 of the 150 new reactors planned worldwide by 2030.
Mr Rudd's statement yesterday did not make clear whether Australia would propose to process its ore into nuclear fuel for the Emirates, or whether that would be done by a third country. The UAE has agreed to import "low enriched" uranium fuel from other qualified nations instead of processing ore itself. It has also agreed not to reprocess spent nuclear fuel.
The UAE has signed bilateral agreements on peaceful nuclear co-operation with a number of countries including the US, UK, France, Japan and South Korea.
At Braka, on a remote stretch of the Gulf coast in the far west of Abu Dhabi, Enec is preparing a site for the UAE's first four nuclear reactors, to be built by a South Korean development consortium. Construction of the reactors awaits approval by the Emirates' Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, an independent body recently established in the UAE. Although approval is widely expected, it is not a foregone conclusion and could be subject to stringent conditions.
"The UAE is setting up as rigorous a regulatory authority as exists anywhere," Lady Barbara Judge, a member of the UK Nuclear Development Forum and an adviser to the UAE energy programme, said on Monday while visiting Abu Dhabi.
Australia, which conducted more than $4.2bn of bilateral trade with the UAE in the past two years, is seeking to expand its uranium exports. In another controversial development, its ruling Labor Party has suggested scrapping an existing ban on exports to countries that have not signed the non-proliferation treaty, allowing India to become a customer.
"If we were to go down the track of opening up sales of uranium to India, there would be an even tougher process of negotiations" on nuclear safeguards, Martin Ferguson, the Australian resources minister, told Reuters yesterday.
Uranium prices have recently surged on the back of increasing Chinese demand and renewed interest from investors and hedge funds.
Australia produced nearly 8 million tonnes of uranium in 2009, 16 per cent of global supplies, according to the latest figures available from the World Nuclear Association. The country's output nevertheless declined by 6 per cent from the previous year, while worldwide uranium output rose 15 per cent.
tcarlisle@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
More coverage from the Future Forum
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Racecard
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Sri Lanka squad for tri-nation series
Angelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
