Middle East atomic moves

A period of hiatus following a wave of Arab nuclear announcements appears to have ended with the signing of a Franco-UAE atomic pact, as Egypt prepares to launch a tender for the country’s first nuclear energy plant.

There are strong indications that the UAE deal could constitute the first step in a developing trend of atomic development and competition promoted both by pressing energy needs and regional instability.


Dr Emily Landau from Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies told ISN Security Watch that Arab nuclear plans were motivated, in part, by Iranian atomic development. “Otherwise it would be difficult to explain this surge of interest that came out at a certain point of time when the Iranian nuclear program seemed to be getting very serious,” she said.

Referring to the Gulf, London-based Chatham House’s Dr Valerie Marcel told ISN Security Watch, “They have all these plans to develop domestic [electricity supply] because populations are expanding and also industrial usage is expanding and they have fewer and fewer options for importing gas. So turning to nuclear is a way to diversify their energy mix.”

ISN Security Watch