 Growth and development in the United Arab Emirates is taking place at a fast pace. It's hard to imagine that less than half a century ago cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai were sleepy backwaters on the Arabian Peninsula. Nowadays it's not just the buildings that are growing but also the population, construction, industry and, as a result, the need for more energy. At today's growth rate, the Emirates expects demand for electricity to double by 2020. To meet these demands, this oil-rich nation had to rethink its energy policy. Extensive studies concluded that nuclear power was the best way forward. We've looked at all the different technologies when deciding on what option the UAE will adapt as a baseload technology for the UAE. We looked at the security supply issues, we looked at the commercial issues, we looked at the environmental issues. Nuclear power came as, or emerged as an option that meets the commercial, the environmental factors but also as a reliable technology that's been proven in the past to be a good option to meet such a substantive portion of the electricity demand. Away from the skyscrapers of Abu Dhabi, the first nuclear power plant in the Arab world is under construction in the desert. The Baraka plant, which is being constructed by the South Korean Ketco Corporation, is expected to be operational by 2017. Since starting its nuclear power program in 2008, the UAE has been supported and guided by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA. The UAE is the first country in 27 years to start the construction of its first nuclear power plant. The cooperation between the UAE and the Korean partner is very comprehensive and intensive. The IAEA is also cooperating with the UAE. This is a huge project. The UAE was already three years into its nuclear power program when the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan occurred in March 2011. The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, FANA, says the industry learned from the accident. FANA had already a robust safety framework for its nuclear power program and the Fukushima accident allowed us an opportunity to work with other countries of operating nuclear power programs to see what lessons have been learned and make sure that they are incorporated into our nuclear power program. The UAE is a country that prepares for the future today. This also applies to its energy program and the government knows that a nuclear program is a long-term commitment. Building power plants takes 10 years. Operating them takes 60 years. Managing them with their waste takes 150 years. So that commitment and that understanding has been explained to all the people and to the public of the UAE and also to our people and the government who understand the magnitude of this project and they understand the added value of this project and understand the economical value of it, the environmental value of nuclear industry. The UAE is planning for energy diversity by investing in renewable energy sources as well as in nuclear power. Research into solar and wind power is centered at Mazda City in Abu Dhabi with the goal of increasing the contribution of renewables to the country's energy supply to 7% by the end of the decade. As for nuclear, all going to plan, the Baraka plant should have four reactors by 2020. These would be capable of providing 20% of the electricity of this fast-growing nation.