Nuclear energy seen as engine of Arab industrial development, experts say

Nuclear energy may become the engine of industrial development and production in the Arab states, said in marrakesh on Thursday an Egyptian expert taking part in an international conference on the use of nuclear energy in water desalination.

Mounir Moujahid told MAP news agency that the development of atomic energy technologies in the Arab states will take time in the absence of a solid industrial infrastructure likely to help Arab states be more efficient the field.

To achieve this goal, it is necessary to set up a program aiming at constructing nuclear units, which are instrumental to develop and modernize Arab industry at local levels, he said, adding that the demand related to water desalination by nuclear energy shrunk in 1986, following the decrease of oil prices and the Tchernobyl nuclear reactor's accident.

Experts from 35 countries are debating in Marrakesh the use of nuclear energy for desalination purposes.

The three-day conference, cosponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Council on Water, is hearing reports on research projects related to the use of environment-friendly nuclear energy in ensuring enough water resources.