VIENNA: The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) chaired the 12th Meeting of the Representatives of Competent Authorities Identified under the Early Notification Convention and the Assistance Convention, organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently at the Austrian capital, Vienna.
Experts gathered during the meeting to exchange insights on their countries’ arrangements for responding to nuclear and radiological emergencies and discuss challenges facing emergency preparedness and response arrangements.
Raoul Awad, Deputy Director-General for Operations at FANR, who chaired the Authority’s delegation, said, ‘Our collaboration is essential in allowing us to develop the robust, practical measures that ensure more effective emergency response capabilities under challenging and complex circumstances.’
The participants also discussed the harmonisation of emergency preparedness and response arrangements at the national and international levels, the future of emergency preparedness
and response in the context of challenges posed by advanced technologies, training and exercises, and lessons learned from past events and exercises, among other technical aspects.
Mohamed Al Marzooqi, FANR’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager, chaired a session titled ‘Communication with the Public in an Emergency’, where panelists discussed the role of public communication during nuclear and radiological emergency response, communications lessons and challenges, and combating disinformation during nuclear incidents.
The IAEA recognised the UAE’s official registration into the Response and Assistance Network (RANET), a network established by the IAEA to provide international assistance to countries during a nuclear or radiological emergency.
The UAE joined the network earlier this year, registering capabilities in radiation survey, sampling and analysis, radiological assessment and advice, medical support, and nuclear installation assessment and advice.
Source: Emirates News Agency
