Just a few weeks after it launched the first space mission of the Arab World, the United Arab Emirates also became the first in the Arab World to split the atom. On Saturday, they opened their nuclear power plant in Barakah, raising concerns about the long-term consequences of introducing more nuclear programs to the middle east.
Only two other countries nearby - Israel and Iran - have successful nuclear programs. Israel has an unacknowledged weapons arsenal and Iran has a so far very controversial uranium enrichment program.
The UAE, a tiny nation on the Persian Gulf that has become a global heavyweight in the business world, announced that their nuclear plant would decrease it’s reliance on the oil that has powered and enriched the country for decades. The South Korean-designed plant would be capable of providing a quarter of all the country’s current electricity needs, once all 4 units were up and running.
Seeking to quiet fears that it was trying to arm itself to threaten it’s regional rivals, the UAE has insisted it intends to use its nuclear program for energy only.
However, with Iran in a standoff against the UN over its nuclear power, Israel embroiled in war, and tensions generally high amongst the Gulf countries, some analysts view the new plant - and any that might follow - as a security and environmental headache. This is especially worrying considering the poor environmental standards the oil-rich UAE has exhibited in general, and the fact that other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, have also started planning their own nuclear programs.
The Middle East is already wrought with fractions that pit Saudi Arabia and the UAE against Iran, Qatar and Iran’s regional powers. One of these powers in Iran’s sphere of influence, the Yemen-based Houthi rebel group, have already claimed responsibility for an attack on the Barakah plant while it was under construction in 2017. In addition, Iran itself is widely believed to be behind a series of attacks aimed at Saudi oil facilities and tankers throughout the last few years.
Written by Noah Mitchell
Artwork by Zara Masood
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