CBRN Risk Mitigation: A successful model for promoting national

strategic priorities at the National, Regional and International

level

Harro Wittermans, Regional Coordinator for South-East Asia, UNICRI

 CBRN Risk Mitigation – in what context do we work?
• There is a diverse spectrum of CBRN risks
• Many government bodies are mandated for a (small) part of the spectrum
• CBRN risks cannot be addressed in isolation (institutional or geographical)
• In recognition of the cross-border implications of CBRN risks,
governments have signed up to international conventions with obligations
• Resources are limited…

… how to manage, prepare and coordinate in such a context?

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 Some environmental conventions related to CBRN
• London Convention (1972)
Prevention of Marine Pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter
• Basel Convention (1992)
Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal
• Rotterdam Convention (1998)
Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides (…)
• Stockholm Convention (2004)
Persistent Organic Pollutants
• Minamata Convention (2013)
Mercury

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 Some CBRN conventions related to WMDs / terrorism
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1970)
• Biological Weapons Convention (1972)
• Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (1980/2005)
• Chemical Weapons Convention (1992)
• Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty (1995)
• UNSCR 1540 (2004)
• International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism
(2005)
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 How is the SEA* region doing vis-à-vis these conventions?

* SEA = South-East Asia

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 How is the SEA region doing vis-à-vis these conventions?

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EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centers of Excellence Initiative
• EU-funded initiative to mitigate the risks related to chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials, launched in 2010

• All-hazards approach:
• criminal (e.g. theft, sabotage, illicit trafficking and terrorism)
• accidental (e.g. industrial accidents, waste treatment, transport incidents)
• natural (e.g. infectious disease outbreaks, CBRN releases caused by natural hazards)

• Objective: Create a framework for coordination and cooperation at national,

regional and international level to enhance CBRN policies and capabilities
 59 Partner Countries
8 Regional Secretariats

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 National Coordination Structure
CBRN National
CBRN National Focal Point Focal Point

Entry point for CBRN-related engagements

Ministry
(ideally internal and external). of Foreign
Affairs
Ministry Ministry
of Health of Interior

CBRN National Team

Responsible for coordination on CBRN Ministry CBRN
National
of
activities and for developing the Industry Team Customs
and Trade (NT)
CBRN National Action Plan.
Ministry
Comprised of representatives from all of ...
Defense
government bodies addressing CBRN risks. Ministry
of Justice
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 What is the CBRN National Action Plan (NAP)?
• Document to support national CBRN governance and resource allocation

Structure:
1.National institutional structure
2.Participation in relevant international instruments
3.Assessment of CBRN national threats and risks
4.Analysis of current capacities to mitigate CBRN risks
5.Proposed objectives to reinforce national CBRN capacity
6.Table of practical actions to strengthen CBRN capacity
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 Regional Priorities for South-East Asia

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 Suggested take-home messages
• Designate a National Contact Point for each of the Conventions
• Promote the finalization and approval of your CBRN National Action Plan (NAP)
• Use the CBRN NAP as a tool to engage and guide partners in effective
allocation of resources (addressing priority needs)
• Invite UNSCR 1540 Support Unit to support drafting of National
Implementation Action Plan
• Involve your ASEAN focal Point in the CBRN National Team to work towards
structural ARF/ASEAN discussion on CBRN

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During the 2015 ARF CBRN Workshop
the EU CBRN CoE National Focal Points
participated…
… and they are here again to showcase the
hard work done (Poster session today)

Today is exactly the 5th Anniversary

of the opening of the Regional
Secretariat office for South-East Asia
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 Head of the Regional Secretariat
Major General Danilo Servando (ret.)
Regional Secretariat for South-East Asia (SEA)
dmservando81@gmail.com
Deputy Head of the Regional Secretariat
Lieutenant General Ke Da
kedanacw@yahoo.com
Regional Coordinator for South-East Asia
Harro Wittermans
harro.wittermans@un.org
Team Assistant for South-East Asia
Catherine Benedicton
catherine.benedicto@un.org
On-Site Assistance expert for South-East Asia
Emily Castriciones, MD
emily.castriciones@bseurope.com
EU Regional Cooperation Officer for South-East Asia
Robert Frank
robert.frank@eeas.europa.eu
EU CBRN CoE Programme Manager
Silvia Bottone
Thank you for your interest!
silvia.bottone@ec.europa.eu
07/03/2018