The UAE Cabinet held its extraordinary meeting at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the Al Dhafra region to highlight the country’s pursuit to be a global leader in peaceful nuclear energy, said a report.

The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, reported state news agency Wam.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the cabinet was briefed on the latest developments in the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, which is considered the largest peaceful nuclear energy project currently under construction globally.

The briefing was delivered by Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec), along with a number of UAE engineers working at Enec and Nawah Energy Company, which is leading the operations of the plant in accordance with the highest international standards of safety and quality.

A presentation on the project and operational readiness was given by Maryam Qasem, Head of Nuclear Fuel Procurement, and Ali Al Nuaimi, Senior Reactor Operator.

Addressing the gathering, Sheikh Mohammed said: "Under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the directions of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the UAE is paving the way to be at the forefront of clean and renewable energy with promising projects operated by qualified Emirati cadres."

"We are proud of our young people who work in the world's largest energy programs and are the engine of future achievements," he added.

Sheikh Mohammed, stressing the role of safe and clean nuclear energy in supporting the local economy and the energy sector in the UAE, said the project, which is estimated to cost over Dh89 billion ($24.2 billion), will provide a quarter of the country's electricity needs.

Contracts worth more than Dh11 billion ($3 billion) have already been awarded to 1,400 Emirati companies up till the end of 2016, said the report by Wam.

This indicates the economic and competitive opportunities available to companies that allow them to develop their quality and safety policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the highest quality standards of the nuclear energy sector, it added.