Russia and Saudi Arabia have for the first time signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The agreement was signed in Russia during St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) last week. The document was signed on behalf of two governments by general director of the state corporation ROSATOM Sergey Kiriyenko and president of the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) Hashim Abdullah Yamani.
The agreement is the basis for cooperation between the two countries in the field of nuclear energy on a wide range of areas that include- the design, construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear power and research reactors, the provision of nuclear fuel cycle services, including nuclear power plants and research reactors; the management of used nuclear fuel and radioactive waste management; the production of radioisotopes and their application in industry, medicine and agriculture; and, the education and training of specialists in the field of nuclear energy.
Although, Saudi Arab has not developed nuclear power reactors yet, It is ambitious and has plan to construct 16 nuclear power reactors over the next 20 years.
