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Al-Ahram Weekly
14-04-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
US, Saudi Arabia to sign nuclear cooperation agreement: Energy secretary
The US and Saudi Arabia will sign a preliminary energy cooperation agreement to develop Saudi civil nuclear technology, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday during a press conference in the Saudi capital. Wright met with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman earlier on Sunday. According to Reuters and Saudi media, he said Riyadh and Washington were on "a pathway" to reach an agreement to develop a Saudi civil nuclear programme. On his first visit to Riyadh as secretary, part of a tour in energy-producing Gulf states, Wright said details on nuclear cooperation between the US and Saudi Arabia would come later this year. He explained that the cooperation will focus on building a commercial nuclear power industry in the Kingdom 'with meaning developments expected this year.' "For a U.S. partnership and involvement in nuclear here, there will definitely be a 123 agreement ... there's lots of ways to structure a deal that will accomplish both the Saudi and American objectives," Wright said. The so-called 123 agreement with Riyadh refers to Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954. It is required to permit the US government and American companies to work with entities in the kingdom on developing a civil nuclear industry. The US official's remarks come ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned visit to Saudi Arabia in May, which could be his first overseas trip since his return to power. Trump said Saudi officials had agreed to "spend close to a trillion dollars ... in our American companies, which to me means jobs." Trump added that US companies will make equipment for Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East. "And for that, I think it's worth it," he stated. In January, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman promised to pour $600 billion into US trade and investments. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Gulf Insider
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Washington, Riyadh Agree To 'Pathway' For Saudi Civilian Nuclear Program
The United States and Saudi Arabia are moving toward a preliminary agreement to cooperate on developing a civil nuclear program in the kingdom, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced this weekend during his visit to Riyadh. Wright, on his first official visit to Saudi Arabia, met with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and stated that both nations are on a 'pathway' toward collaboration in nuclear energy. The agreement is expected to involve a memorandum of understanding later this year. Any US involvement in Saudi Arabia's nuclear program would require a so-called '123 Agreement,' referring to Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954. This section outlines nine non-proliferation requirements designed to prevent the use of civil nuclear technology for weapons development or the transfer of sensitive materials. 'For a US partnership and involvement in nuclear here, there will definitely be a 123 agreement … there's lots of ways to structure a deal that will accomplish both the Saudi objectives and the American objectives,' Wright said. Progress on a deal has previously been hindered by Saudi Arabia's reluctance to accept restrictions that would prohibit uranium enrichment or fuel reprocessing – both of which can be used to produce nuclear weapons. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) has previously warned that Saudi Arabia would pursue nuclear weapons if Iran acquired them, a position that has raised concerns among arms control advocates and US lawmakers. Click here to read more.
Express Tribune
14-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Saudi-US civil nuclear deal on the cards
Listen to article The United States and Saudi Arabia are set to sign a preliminary agreement to collaborate on Riyadh's efforts to develop a civil nuclear industry, a senior Saudi diplomat in Pakistan revealed on Sunday, citing a statement from US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. In a tweet on the social media platform X, Saudi Press Attache Dr Naif Al-Otaibi referenced the US energy secretary's statement, which confirmed that Washington and Riyadh would soon formalize an agreement to invest in energy and civil nuclear technology. Following a meeting with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman in Riyadh on Sunday, Wright told reporters that the two countries are on "a pathway" to reaching an agreement to jointly develop Saudi Arabia's civil nuclear programme. On his first visit to the kingdom as energy secretary, part of a tour of energy-producing Gulf states, Wright indicated that further details of the memorandum detailing energy cooperation between Riyadh and Washington would be disclosed later this year. "For a US partnership and involvement in nuclear here, there will definitely be a 123 agreement ... there's lots of ways to structure a deal that will accomplish both the Saudi objectives and the American objectives," he said. A so-called 123 agreement with Riyadh refers to Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and is required to permit the US government and American companies to work with entities in the kingdom to develop a civil nuclear industry. It specifies nine non-proliferation criteria a state must meet to keep it from using the technology to develop nuclear arms or transfer sensitive materials to others. Wright said that the Saudi authorities have not agreed to the requirements under the act. (WITH INPUT FROM REUTERS)
Gulf Business
13-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Saudi Arabia, US on ‘pathway' to civil nuclear agreement
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.- Getty Images The United States and Saudi Arabia will sign a preliminary agreement to cooperate over the country's ambitions to develop a civil nuclear industry, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday. Read- Wright, who had met with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman earlier on Sunday, said Riyadh and Washington were on a 'a pathway' to reaching an agreement to work together to develop a Saudi civil nuclear programme. Wright, on his first visit to the kingdom as secretary as part of tour of energy-producing Gulf states, said further details over a memorandum detailing the energy cooperation between Riyadh and Washington would come later this year. 'For a US partnership and involvement in nuclear here, there will definitely be a 123 agreement … there's lots of ways to structure a deal that will accomplish both the Saudi objectives and the American objectives,' he said. A so-called 123 agreement with Riyadh refers to Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and is required to permit the US government and American companies to work with entities in the country to develop a civil nuclear industry. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, is seeking to generate substantial renewable energy and reduce emissions, under the crown prince's Vision 2030 reform plan. At least some of this is expected to come from nuclear energy.
