VIENNA: The Steering Committee on Regulatory Capacity Building of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently elected the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) to serve as the Chair of the Committee for the period from 2025 to 2027.

The election took place during the 16th meeting of the Steering Committee, where experts from 22 IAEA Member States gathered to discuss and review countries’ efforts to build and maintain staff capacity in the nuclear sector.

‘The election of FANR as the Chair of the Steering Committee on Regulatory Capacity Building of the International Atomic Energy Agency demonstrates the international recognition of the UAE Nuclear Programme, which has become a role model for countries to learn the journey of the UAE in building and operating it following the highest standards of safety, security and safeguards. Since 2009, FANR has invested in building the capability of Emiratis, in different aspects, to ensure the regulation of the nuclear sector and ensure its sustain
ability. By chairing this committee, it provides an opportunity to demonstrate, to the international community, the UAE’s advancement in the journey of investing in developing the local cadre to become subject matter experts in this important and highly critical sector,’ said Shaima Al Mansoori, Director of Education and Training at the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).

Established in 2009, the Steering Committee’s mandate is to discuss issues, exchange information and advise the IAEA on how best to support the Member States’ training programmes. Key achievements over the past years include the revision and updating of the Systematic Assessment of Competence Needs; publishing research on best systems to ensure and manage regulatory competence, as well as promoting and advising on the IAEA safety standards related to developing, ensuring and managing regulatory competence.

Since its setup in September 2009, FANR has placed paramount importance on building the capacity of Emiratis to regulate t
he nuclear sector and ensure its sustainability, maintaining its mandate to protect the community, workers and the environment. It introduced a competency-based capacity-building career progression framework for developing leaders and non-leader personnel, covering all disciplines within the organisation with the execution of development-based programmes, such as the Developee Fresh Graduates Engineers Programme, Legal Developee Programme, scholarships and secondments among others. To date, Emiratis comprise over 77 percent of its workforce, with women holding almost 47 percent of leadership positions.

Source: Emirates News Agency