CBRN Centres of Excellence Conference 23/05/2013

Amb. Andrew Kihurani was in Brussels to attend the first meeting of the Heads of the Regional Secretariat of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence (CoE) Initiative, held from 14 to 15 May 2013. Amb. Kihurani led the Kenyan delegation to the above-mentioned meeting, where Kenya, alongside partner states and European partners, took the opportunity to review progress made in the implementation of the CBRN CoE Initiative in order to chart the way forward.

It was a two day kick-off conference of the worldwide Centres of Excellence (CoE) Initiative, which aims to promote a higher level of security in the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) domains. The meeting was organized by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation, EC Joint Research Centre and European External Action Service). At the conference a number of issues were discussed, including the establishment of the Eastern and Central Africa Centre of Excellence Regional Secretariat, which is to be located in Nairobi, Kenya. They reviewed progress made in the five partner states: Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, and noted that five other countries have expressed interest to join the CBRN CoE Initiative, viz. Tanzania, Seychelles, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Zambia.

It is important to note that the First Round Table Meeting of the CBRN CoE National Focal Points from Eastern and Central Africa was organised in Kenya in November 2012. The overall purpose of the CBRN Centres of Excellence is to achieve a coordinated strategy for CBRN risk mitigation at international, regional and national levels.