By: Pace International Law Review Editorial Staff

In October, 2009, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) passed a law which bans the development of uranium enrichment. The law applies not only to uranium developed for nuclear weapons, but also to uranium used for nuclear energy; uranium will be imported to maintain power plants. The new law also strictly regulates the handling of nuclear materials and has established a nuclear safety regulator.
The regulator body will consist of members who have no ties to the atomic energy industry and will have wide discretion in determining whether and how all activities using nuclear energy will be carried out. The UAE Government issued a statement in which they said: “Under the law, members of the board of management enjoy significant legal protections designed to prevent any conflicts of interest with their role as regulators, as well as to preserve their independence in making regulatory or licensing decisions.” The Director General of the government authority, Bill Travers, was the former Executive Director for Operations at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the U.S.