Global Arab Network | Egypt, Kuwait to partake in Paris conference on peaceful nuclear

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Egypt, Kuwait to partake in Paris conference on peaceful nuclear

Global Arab Network - - Gamal Ragay

Sunday, 07 March 2010 17:22

Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Power Dr. Hassan Younis announced that on Monday he will hold important talks with delegations of five major countries regarding the implementation of nuclear power in Egypt.

In a press release, Younis said prior his departure on Sunday to partake in an international conference on peaceful nuclear energy where they will be meeting with France, US, Russia, China, and Southern Korea, supporting Egypt in its nuclear program. Egypt accomplished a step forward in the nuclear program and awaiting approvals, Younis said.

"Before the end of this year, an International tender to be presented in order to compare the best bid with lowest costs to establish the power," he said.

Moreover, Kuwait is to partake in the conference, the Kuwaiti delegation will be led by Minister of Electricity and Water Bader Al-Shuraiaan.

Paris nuclear conference holds more than 60 countries invited by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
And attracting as many as 700 senior international officials, the conference is mainly intended to promote the peaceful and responsible use of nuclear energy.

During the two-day conference to be held at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the conferees are to mull over several nuclear issues and how to spur and encourage multilateral cooperation to help those countries which seek peaceful nuclear energy.
A forum of international decision-makers, experts, lawmakers, companies, experts, industrialists, economists and financiers is to be held on the sidelines of the nuclear gathering in Paris.

Several world countries have recently voiced much interest in peaceful nuclear use in order to fulfill their energy needs amid hiking energy prices.

Six roundtables are also to be held on the margin of the event to discuss nuclear energy, mixed energy and its role in sustainable development, responsible development of nuclear energy and support for nuclear-seeking countries.

Today a growing number of states are considering to civil nuclear power to meet their energy needs, in a context of spiralling fossil fuel prices and the drive to combat climate change.

France’s position is that the peaceful use of nuclear power should not be confined to a handful of states that already hold the technology. At the same time, though, it is essential - both for the countries under consideration and for the international community as a whole - that any country undertaking a civil nuclear programme is not only willing but also capable of meeting essential requirements regarding safety, security, non-proliferation and protection of the environment for future generations. Similarly, the countries in question are confronted with the challenges of finding financing, obtaining access to the technology and the latest research, and training people to satisfactorily conduct their projects. This is why France has expressed its willingness to assist any country wishing to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes which fully abide by their non proliferation obligations.

The International Conference on Access to Civil Nuclear Energy, to be held in Paris on 8 and 9 March 2010, addresses this goal, namely to promote the peaceful and responsible use of nuclear power. It aims to enable debate on every aspect of developing a nuclear programme and on ways of using bilateral and multilateral cooperation to help countries wishing to embark on such a course to fulfil their international obligations. It will provide for a discussion forum for all of the stakeholders: government policy-makers, executives from the international organisations involved in drawing up and monitoring compliance with the regulatory framework, the managers of industrial companies in the sector and of financial establishments, the heads of research and training bodies, and qualified public figures involved in the debate.

The conference programme includes several types of sessions :

Opening and closing sessions comprising in-depth speeches by top-level leaders: the President of the French Republic, the French Prime Minister, the President of the European Commission, the Director General of the IAEA, the Secretary-General of the OECD, etc. Six roundtables :
- Nuclear power and the energy mix in a sustainable development perspective
- The responsible development of nuclear energy : what is an appropriate framework?
- How to support new nuclear countries?
- How to finance a nuclear programme?
- Training issues
- The medium and long-term outlook for nuclear power

This conference is expected to achieve progress, in particular by involving policy-makers in this particular issue and providing an insight into the needs of new nuclear countries. It will contribute to the much-needed dialogue between the states that supply and the states that receive nuclear goods and technologies. Through the guidelines it produces, and through any commitment that may be made for a responsible development of nuclear energy, it will fuel the deliberations conducted in other organisations and other venues.

The Conference is organised in coordination with the IAEA and with the support of the OECD/NEA. It will take place at the OECD Conference Center.

Peaceful uses of nuclear energy, today there is a growing demand for nuclear energy to meet electricity needs, especially in developing countries. Some solid reasons can explain this renewed interest in civil nuclear energy:

▪ Economic and energy-related reasons. Today rising hydrocarbon prices and the prospect of diminishing resources has prompted a number of countries to look to new sources of energy. Many countries have also been concerned about the security of their energy supply. Nuclear energy is capable of helping us meet this demand, decreasing the use of fossil energies, whose reserves are currently limited, offering energy that for the most part is available, economical and respects the environment.

▪ Environmental reasons. Unlike fossil energies, nuclear energy does not produce any greenhouse gases or air pollution. It is a source of sustainable, clean and safe energy.

Global Arab Network

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