Model Nuclear Inventory 2007
Egypt

1. Location and capability of nuclear facilities
2. Fissile material holdings
3. Nuclear activities
4. International non-proliferation efforts
5. Positions taken in international fora on various issues of disarmament

1. Location and Capability of Nuclear Facilities

Egypt acquired its first nuclear reactor from the Soviet Union in 1961. Spent fuel from this reactor, too insignificant for a weapons program, was controlled by the USSR. In the 1960s, an agreement with the US for the construction of eight nuclear power plants fell through when the US unilaterally changed the terms of the agreement. This unmaterialized agreement prompted Egypt to sign the NPT in 1968 as a way to receive nuclear technology.

Today, Egypt still does not have operating nuclear power facilities, though on 21 September 2006 President Hosni Mubarak and other members of government announced that Egypt should pursue nuclear energy to meet its growing energy needs. Electricity Minister Hassan Youis expects Egypt's first nuclear power plant, a 1000 megawatt reactor, to be operational by 2020. In addition, Egypt continues serious work on developing nuclear potential designated for use in power engineering, agriculture, medicine, biotechnology, and genetics.

So far, Egypt has not announced any plans of pursuing uranium enrichment technology.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/egypt/nuke.htm
http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/Egypt/Nuclear/index.html

Power Reactors: 0

Research Reactors
Operational: 2
Shut down: 0
Decommissioned: 0
Planned: 0
http://www.iaea.or.at/worldatom/rrdb/

Uranium Mines
Abu Zeneima Deposit
El Atshan Deposit
El Missikat Deposit
El Erediya Deposit
Gabal Kadabora Deposit
Um Ara Deposit
Western Sinai Deposit
http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/Egypt/Nuclear/1695_1745.html

Egypt’s Nuclear Materials Authority estimates 15,000 tons of untapped uranium in Egypt, with explorations mostly focusing in the Eastern Desert and in Sinai.
http://www.worldenergy.org/wec-geis/publications/reports/ser/uranium/uranium.asp

Egypt is currently working towards the industrial incorporation of uranium deposits, which will involve uranium extraction and enrichment for use in power plants. http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/egypt/nuke.htm

Fuel Fabrication
Egypt has no declared reprocessing capabilities, though some reprocessing related activities are conducted at the Atomic Energy Authority’s facilities, including a site at Inshas. http://projects.sipri.se/nuclear/cnsc5egy.htm

2. Fissile Material Holdings

Radioactive waste disposal
A repository for low- and intermediate-level wastes at Inshas was commissioned in 2000.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/waste/report99/annex2.htm

3. Nuclear Activities

Research Centers
Atomic Energy Authority Egyptian Nuclear Energy Authority
ICF: The Inshas Cyclotron Facility
NCRR:TThe National Center for Radiation Research and Technology
NPPA: Nuclear Materials Authority Nuclear Power Plants Authority
NRC: Nuclear Research Center
http://www.iaea.or.at/inis/ws/nuclear_authorities/egypt.html
http://projects.sipri.se/nuclear/cnsc5egy.htm

Nuclear Cooperation
Since 1990, Egypt has been one of eleven members of the Arab Power Engineering Organization. A number of Egyptian scientific projects are carried out under the aegis of the IAEA.

Russia: In early 2005, Egypt and Russia signed a new agreement to revive Egypt’s plans for a nuclear power and desalination plant. http://www.world-nuclear.org/news/nl_jan-feb2005.htm

In 1961, Russia provided Egypt with a research reactor. Russia also serviced and supported a research reactor from Argentina, which started up in 1997. A feasibility study for a cogeneration plant for electricity and potable water at El-Dabaa, on the Mediterranean coast, has recently been undertaken.

China: In November 2006, China and Egypt agreed to strengthen cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. http://www.china.org.cn/english/international/188238.htm

Argentina: In early 1992, a deal was made for Argentina to deliver an additional reactor with a capacity of 22 megawatts to Egypt.

UK, India: Agreements to provide assistance in training national cadres for scientific research and work on the country's atomic enterprises. http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/egypt/nuke.htm

Jordan: Egypt agreed to assist in establishing a Jordanian Atomic Agency and training for radiological detection and survey staff. http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/010607/2001060735.html

4. International Nonproliferation Efforts

Treaties Signed and Ratified, date of deposit
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, signed 10 April 1972 (not yet ratified)
Certain Conventional Weapons Convention, signed 10 April 1981 (not yet ratified)
Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, signed 14 October 1996 (not yet ratified)
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 26 February 1981
Outer Space Treaty, 23 January 1968
Treaty of Pelindaba, signed 11 April 1996 (not yet ratified)
Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, November 1977.
http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Conventions/liability_status.pdf

Egypt has not yet signed the IAEA Additional Protocol.

Multilateral Groups
Conference on Disarmament

5. Positions Taken in International Fora on Various Issues of Nuclear Disarmament

Universality: “It is also our duty to keep the question of weapons of mass destruction and their proliferation at the top of the international agenda. We must work to achieve the universality of the NPT taking into account that, nearly thirty years after the establishment of the non-proliferation regime, and eleven years after the indefinite extension of the treaty, the international community is still far from implementing the international obligations assumed in it. We are still far from achieving the Treaty’s universality and from reaching the desired balance between the three main pillars adopted by the international community with regards to nuclear disarmament, non proliferation and the right of all states, without exception to benefit from the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.” - Statement by H.E. Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, at the 61st Session of the General Assembly, September 21, 2006. http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/1com06/disarmindex06.html#egypt

The Middle East: “In tackling the issue of universality, we cannot but recall the situation in the Middle East, and the necessity of implementing the 1995 Review and Extenstion Conference resolution on the Middle East, in addition to the 2000 review conference final document including its implementation. In fact, the two past review conferences have paid special attention to the Middle East, as a result of the delicate security situation in the region, and its negative repercussions on the credibility of the treaty, as long as Israel remains outside it. The 2000 review conference reiterated fairly and firmly the importance of the accession of Israel to the NPT as a non nuclear weapon state and to place all of its nuclear facilities under full scope IAEA Safeguards, as a step towards th establishment of a NWFZ in the Middle East, and achieving the universal adherence to the treaty in the region. . . . Today, the delegation of Egypt supported by the NAM calls upon the conference to establish a subsidiary body to implement the 1995 Middle East
resolution and the 2000 Review Conference final document in this respect. Egypt emphasizes that it is important that this conference should establish a practical roadmap that guarantees the establishment of NWFZ in the Middle East, and thus contributing to the universality of the treaty. . . . In our view, it is not possible from now on, to measure the credibility of the Non Proliferation Regime in the region, without real progress towards the accession of Israel as a Non Nuclear Weapon State to the NPT.” - Statement by H.E. Ambassador Ahmed Fathalla to the Seventh Review Conference of the NPT, 3 May 2005. http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/statements/npt03egypt.pdf

Nuclear Weapons Convention: “The delegation of Egypt strongly supports the call by the Non Aligned Movement pronounced by the Delegation of Indonesia, for convening of an international conference, at the earliest possible date, with the objective of arriving at an agreement on a phased program for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons with a specified framework of time to eliminate all nuclear weapons, to prohibit their development production, acquisition, testing, stockpiling, transfer, use or threat of use, and to provide for their destruction. Convening this International Conference comes in implementation of the resolve of Heads of State or Government in the Millennium Declaration.” - Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Amr Abou El Atta at the Substantive Session of the United Nations Disarmament Commission. 11 April 2006.
http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/dc/statements06/egypt11april.pdf

Negative Security Assurances: “Although Egypt takes note of and welcomes unilateral decisions made by some nuclear weapon states that provide security assurances against the use of nuclear weapons to non nuclear weapon states, we believe that these declarations fall short of our security requirements and do not adequately or conclusively deal with the issue. For security assurances to be effective, they must be unconditional, comprehensive, legally binding, and negotiated multilaterally.” - Statement by Ambassador Sameh Shoukry to the Conference on Disarmament, 13 February 2007. http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/cd/speeches07/1session/Feb13Egypt2.pdf

Nuclear Doctrine: “An honest evaluation of the current state of affairs reveals that despite a number of unilateral and bilateral steps towards nuclear disarmament, some of which have been codified, the final result has been merely the dismantlement of a limited number of nuclear weapons. This state of affairs reflects inadequate progress on the part of nuclear weapon states in fulfilling their obligations. Furthermore, we share the concern voiced by the non-aligned movement about the increased emphasis placed upon nuclear weapons within the strategic doctrines of some states and alliances, as well as the further development of nuclear weapons to render them more usable in actual military operations and thereby making their use more probable.” - Statement by Ambassador Ahmed Fathalla to the Seventh
Review Conference of the NPT, 3 May 2005. http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/statements/npt03egypt.pdf

Conference on Disarmament: “The current crisis is further compounded by the state of political and intellectual paralysis that has brought the multilateral disarmament machinery to a standstill, primarily because of the significant divergence of views over nuclear disalinament and the related issue of the legal and operational status of nuclear weapons. One victim of this crisis is the Conference on Disarmament, which is now devoid of substance.” - Statement by H.E. Ambassador Ahmed Fathalla to the Seventh Review Conference of the NPT, 3 May 2005. http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/statements/npt03egypt.pdf

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