The Arab Network of Nuclear Regulators (ANNuR) met on the margins of this year's IAEA General Conference on 23 September 2014, providing an overview of ANNuR and its activities for the 50 attending delegates and Member State representatives.
ANNuR seeks to increase cooperation between Arab countries, some of which are in different geographical regions, but share a language, have many cultural similarities and face many of the same socio-economic, political and trans-boundary issues.
Since its founding in 2010, ANNuR has conducted 50 training events for 1217 participants, and has developed partnerships with the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), the US Department of Energy, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the European Union, which contribute to its activities in various ways.
Lingquan Guo, Head of the Knowledge Networks Unit in the IAEA Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, encouraged member countries to lead ANNuR, to commit and participate fully in its activities, because "this isn't an IAEA network, the Agency is simply the Secretariat. ANNuR requires your leadership to really work."
ANNuR focuses on enhancing, strengthening and harmonizing radiation protection, nuclear safety and security regulatory infrastructures and frameworks among the ANNuR's members. As part of the Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network (GNSSN), ANNuR's objective - to be carried out partially through the use of an IAEA internet portal within the GNSSN platform - is to facilitate regional cooperation with a focus on capacity building and infrastructure development.
It also encourages an exchange of regulatory experiences and practices among the nuclear regulatory bodies in the region. ANNuR serves as a forum for an exchange of ideas to find innovative approaches on issues of common interest.
According to Yassine Chaari, Nuclear Safety Officer at the IAEA, the main purpose behind the network is to assure these countries that they aren't alone as they confront complex issues of nuclear safety and regulation, but are part of a global initiative where they can connect with others regionally and globally to receive all the help and training that they require to use nuclear technologies safely, securely and sustainably.