Barakah Nuclear Plant to open in first quarter
Nuclear plant, Hope Probe and Expo 2020 Dubai to set off journey towards 2070
ABU DHABI: The UAE will mark “2020: Towards the next 50” through three major events, namely the inauguration of the Barakah Nuclear Plant, the launch of the Hope Probe and the hosting of the Expo 2020 Dubai, WAM reported.
The first quarter of 2020 will witness the inauguration of the first operational phase of the Barakah Nuclear Plant in Al Dhafra, which will make the UAE the first country in the Arabian peninsula to host a nuclear power station, and the first country in the Arab world to utilise a commercial nuclear power station to supply electricity.
The Hope Probe is also expected to travel to Mars in the middle of July 2020. With an expected travel time of 200 days, the Hope Probe should reach the Red Planet in the first quarter of 2021, coinciding with the country’s Golden Jubilee.
The hosting of the Expo 2020 Dubai will be an opportunity to strengthen the UAE’s economic and tourism stature. The expo is expected to receive 25 million visits, with 70 percent being from other countries.
The expo will also create significant employment, commercial and investment opportunities, not only for Dubai and the UAE but also for the entire Middle East, North Africa and South Asia regions.
An independent study published by financial consultants Ernst and Young noted that the UAE’s investment in the Expo will generate proceeds of Dh122.6 billion during the period from 2013 to 2031. It will also create 905,000 job opportunities and 200 years of work during the same period.
The UAE is moving confidently towards foreseeing the future and getting prepared for it, which is highlighted by the work of its government, such as the drafting of long-term strategic plans, and its awareness of the importance of artificial intelligence, AI, a knowledge-based economy, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The young nation is also launching clean and renewable energy projects in many countries around the world, which qualifies it as a global leader in this field.
The UAE will also launch many key projects over the next 50 years, most notably the Mars 2117 Project, the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, the Water Security Strategy 2036, the National Advanced Sciences Agenda 2031, and the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy.