Conference report by Nannette Cazaubon, Paris The EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative 7 th meeting of National Focal Points

CONFERENCE REPORT EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative

7th

International Meeting of National Focal Points by Nannette Cazaubon, Paris

How should we fight jointly against Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) risks and threats around the world? These challenges go beyond national borders and cannot be tackled alone, as recent CBRN attacks and events in Europe, its neighbouring countries and the use of chemical weapons in Syria showed. This is also true for the re-emergence of epidemic diseases like Ebola in Africa, or the increasingly devastating effects of natural disasters and climate change. In answer to this urgent problem, the European Union launched in 2010 an initiative called “European Union CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence” (EU CBRN CoE). Within this initiative, there are currently 61 partner countries grouped around 8 Regional Secretariats 1 , collaborating with the aim of fostering national, regional and interregional cooperation around the world to better prevent CBRN incidents or disasters.

The initiative is well on track Led by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), the EU CBRN COE initiative is now well on track, as was highlighted during the “7 th International meeting of National Focal Points” that took place from 12 th to 14 th June in La Hulpe, near Brussels. This international three-day meeting gathered about 180 participants from countries involved in the EU CBRN CoE Initiative, who all agreed that the initiative has reached a turning point. Organised by DG DEVCO and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), with the support of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the meeting in La Hulpe was the opportunity for fruitful discussion among the participants from Africa, Asia, the Middle-East, South East and Eastern Europe, as well as observers from Kazakhstan, the USA, and regional and international organisations. Plenary

Regional Roundtable meetings were held on the second day of the conference

Presentation of a mobile biosafety laboratory

sessions and regional round tables provided the opportunity to assess progress made over the past year and to discuss working perspectives for the year to come. During the session breaks, participants were able to visit, in the conference venue, a mobile biosafety laboratory developed by the Belgian Praesens Foundation. On the last day of the meeting, the third EU CBRN CoE prize awards took place, rewarding the best regional success stories and innovative and creative proposals.

Sharing ideas and defining next steps The meeting was opened by Henriette Geiger, Director, People and Peace (DG DEVCO), and Bettina Tucci Bartsiotas, Director of UNICRI. Ms Geiger said that the meeting “gives us the chance to share ideas and define next steps, in a creative and visionary way.” Ms Tucci Bartsiotas told the audience that the CoE Initiative, with 61 countries working together “is a telling example of a collective action for the common good”. Chaired by Olivier Luyckx, Head of Unit B5 (Security, Nuclear Safety) in DG DEVCO, and his colleagues Eddie Maier, Deputy Head of Unit B5, and Tristan Simonart, CoE Coordinator, the meeting was the opportunity for the Heads of the 8 Regional Secretariats to report on the huge progress in each region, including the development and use of CBRN National Action Plans and the launch of new regional and interregional projects. Thematic sessions addressed CBRN Risk assessment, training and exercises, and a briefing from the European Commission focused on cybersecurity in relation to CBRN. During a Regional Round Table meeting with the presence of delegates from the Gulf region (Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi-Arabia and Kuwait), a first common CoE project was launched in this complex region.

Outcome of the meeting Participants agreed that the EU CBRN CoE Initiative has developed into a real joint programme with increasing Southto-South and region-to-region cooperation like in the North

i

The EU CBRN CoE Initiative Launched in 2010 and led by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO), in close coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU CBRN CoE Initiative is the largest European civilian external security programme, with a budget of €155 million for 2014-2020. EU support is provided to implement a wide range of CBRN Risk Mitigation activities including needs and risk assessments, national and regional action plans, trainings, Train the Trainer modules, table top and real time (including cross-border) field exercises. A National Focal Point (NFP) is appointed by each of the 61 Partner Countries and a CBRN National Team is tasked with the implementation of the initiative at the country level. NFPs report to and rely on one of the 8 Regional Secretariat hosted and led by one of the Partner Countries in the region and supported by a UN Regional Coordinator.

Africa and Sahel region, in Central Asia, and in the Gulf region. Furthermore, important training and capacity building progress has been accomplished. Many field exercises took place and others will be organised in the next two years. Regional CBRN Schools of Excellence and networks of CBRN training institutions emerged in South East and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and several African regions. It was also highlighted that emerging technologies with a potential CBRN dimension, like artificial intelligence, the use of drones, or cyber applications have to be taken more and more into account and that the subjects of cybersecurity of infrastructure related to CBRN will be part of working perspectives for the years to come. In his conclusion, Olivier Luyckx underlined that this meeting was a breakthrough for the CoE initiative. He highlighted the “spirit of trust and confidence” between the participants, saying that this was unprecedented. Pawel Herczynski, Security and Defence Policy Director (European External Action Service) thanked the audience in the name of the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini for “their efforts, the very rich and inspiring discussions” and their enthusiasm which he called essential for this initiative. He said that he was truly impressed by the progress made, and that the EEAS will continue to work to increase the visibility of the CBRN CoE initiative.

During the EU CBRN CoE prize awards ceremony

1 African Atlantic Façade (AAF); Central Asia (CA); Eastern and Central Africa (ECA); Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCC); Middle East (MIE); North Africa and Sahel (NAS); South East Asia (SEA); South East and Eastern Europe (SEEE).