UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a federal decree appointing Hamad Ali Mohammed Al Kaabi as Director General of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, placing a veteran nuclear diplomat at the head of the country’s independent atomic sector regulator.The appointment, made at the rank of Ministry Undersecretary, brings one of the UAE’s most experienced nuclear policy figures into the executive leadership of the authority responsible for licensing, inspection, radiation protection, safeguards and security across the civil nuclear sector.
Al Kaabi has been closely associated with the UAE’s peaceful nuclear energy programme since its formative stages. He served as the country’s Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency from 2008 and represented the UAE across several international organisations linked to nuclear safety, safeguards, non-proliferation and energy governance. His diplomatic career also included service as ambassador to Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia, giving him direct exposure to multilateral nuclear institutions headquartered in Vienna.
The decree comes as the UAE’s nuclear programme enters a more mature regulatory phase after all four units of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant reached commercial operation. The plant, located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region, is the first commercial nuclear power station in the Arab world and has become a central part of the country’s clean-energy strategy. Its four APR-1400 reactors have a combined capacity of 5.6 gigawatts and are designed to provide up to a quarter of national electricity demand while avoiding millions of tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
Al Kaabi’s technical background is expected to reinforce FANR’s role as a specialist regulator at a time when nuclear oversight is moving beyond construction licensing and commissioning into long-term operational supervision. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from Purdue University, with a focus on nuclear safety, and has been involved in the main milestones of the UAE programme, including international engagement, policy design and regulatory cooperation.
FANR was established under the 2009 federal nuclear law as an independent authority to regulate the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Its mandate covers the protection of the public, workers and the environment through regulatory programmes for nuclear safety, nuclear security, radiation protection and safeguards. The authority also oversees the UAE’s commitments under international nuclear treaties and conventions, placing it at the centre of the country’s obligations to maintain transparency and non-proliferation standards.
The regulator’s work has expanded significantly since Barakah moved from construction to full-fleet operations. FANR has issued licences covering plant operation, nuclear material handling, radioactive sources, radiation facilities and associated inspection regimes. It is also responsible for emergency preparedness, environmental monitoring and ensuring that operators comply with safety requirements throughout the operating life of nuclear facilities.
The leadership change is significant because the UAE’s nuclear model has relied heavily on the separation between promotion and regulation. Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation and its operating subsidiaries manage the development and operation of Barakah, while FANR acts as the independent watchdog empowered to review, license and inspect activities. That separation has been presented internationally as a core feature of the country’s approach to nuclear governance.
Al Kaabi’s appointment is also likely to strengthen the interface between domestic regulation and international nuclear institutions. The UAE has maintained close cooperation with the IAEA throughout the development of Barakah, including peer review missions, safety assessments and safeguards engagement. That relationship has helped the country position its programme as a reference point for new nuclear entrants seeking to build civil nuclear capacity without domestic fuel enrichment or reprocessing.
The Barakah project has moved through a sequence of milestones over the past five years. Unit 1 began commercial operations in 2021, followed by Unit 2 in 2022, Unit 3 in 2023 and Unit 4 in 2024. With all units operating, the programme has shifted from project delivery to sustained performance, outage management, workforce development and long-term regulatory assurance.
The appointment also comes as nuclear energy is drawing wider attention in global energy policy. Governments seeking reliable low-carbon power are reassessing nuclear capacity as part of energy security and climate strategies, while regulators face pressure to maintain public confidence, strengthen cyber and physical security, and adapt oversight systems to new technologies such as small modular reactors and advanced fuel cycles.
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