An online meeting was organized by UNICRI for the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) stakeholders of the Sultanate of Oman to introduce the European Union CBRN Centres of Excellence (EU CBRN CoE) initiative.
The Sultanate was represented by several relevant Ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Environment Authority, the National Committee for Emergency Management and the Public Authority for Civil Defense and Ambulance.
The meeting was co-chaired by the Head of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Regional Secretariat, Brig. Eng. Hussain Al Harthi and by representatives of the European Commission.
In addition to the representatives of UNICRI, the online meeting was joined by the On Site Assistance (OSA) CBRN experts deployed in the GCC, the European Union Delegation to the United Arab Emirates and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.
The representatives of the Sultanate of Oman expressed their interest in the CBRN CoE initiative and the country could become the 62nd partner country to join the initiative. Oman is an important stakeholder in the Gulf Region and would potentially work with the Abu Dhabi Regional Secretariat, reinforcing the cooperation with the other five countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council, with the European Union, UNICRI and the other regional and international organizations addressing CBRN risks.
About the European Union CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative (EU CBRN CoE)
The EU CBRN CoE is an initiative of the European Union (EU), funded and implemented by the European Commission through its international cooperation Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) in close coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS). The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and other relevant International/Regional Organisations and regional experts provide their capacity to ensure coherent and effective national, regional and international cooperation. The initiative is currently involving more than 60 partner countries across 8 regions of the world, coordinated by 8 Regional Secretariats, including the one for the Gulf Cooperation Council countries based in Abu Dhabi. The GCC Centre of Excellence is also cooperating with the GCC Emergency Management Centre.
For more information: EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative website: http://www.cbrn-coe.eu/
European Commission, Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace website (see section about "Stable Situations"): http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/node/7350
