Warsaw-Kyiv International Forum: Developing cooperation in reducing chemical threats and enhancing chemical safety and security and voluntary fire service will be held on24th April, 2017, at the Ministry of Environment, Wawelska 52-54, Warsaw, on 13.30-15.00.
Forum is co-organized by the Chief Inspector of Environment Protection in Poland, International Centre for Chemical Safety and Security (ICCSS), Warsaw, Poland and the Ukrainian Fire And Technological Safety Union (USPTB), with support of the Ukraine Project Coordinator of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and participation of national and international partners from governments and international organizations.
The Warsaw-Kyiv Forum continues the cooperation established at Ukraine Chemical Security Forum (UCSF) during the very successful Chemical Safety and Security Summit on 18th April, 2016 (www.chemss2016.org), conducted in Kielce, Poland. As a result of the UCSF networks of contacts in Ukraine and within the Eastern Europe were promoted to facilitate the communication and cooperation to reduce threats and mitigate the risks nationally and regionally.
The Forum will assist in the development of cooperation and exchange of expertise and national capacities between specialists in the field of chemical and environmental security, with emphasis on border, customs, industry, transportation and civil protection. The Forum will introduce the program to promote local awareness and responsibility in chemical safety and security in Ukraine. A unique international project EU-CHEM-REACT on testing planning and preparedness to CBRN threats in Ukraine will be presented. The project, financed by the European Union, was developed and will be implemented by an international consortium of Lithuanian, Ukraine and Polish partners, and in the partnership with the OSCE project Coordination Office in Kyiv, and the International Centre for Chemical Safety and Security (ICCSS) in Warsaw, as the international coordinator.
The Forum should assist in the Polish-Ukraine partnership in the development of the voluntary fire service in Ukraine, based on Polish model, and with an active Polish engagement and support. The Forum will introduce
The Forum will develop and build synergy between the national and international stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the projects on chemical and environmental safety and security, civil protection and voluntary fire service, and assist in the translation of these projects into national and regional cooperative activities in order to introduce successful mechanisms against misuse of toxic chemicals.
Implementation of the cooperation in chemical safety and security serves the non-proliferation and anti-terrorism objectives. It would have a positive spill over effect and instigate a broader discussion on a wider array of CBRN risks in a changing Ukraine’s and regional security environment and long term security and economic development. Thus, it serves as a catalyst and useful driver tool for developing a comprehensive response to other CBRN risks and actively supports the implementation of the relevant international disarmament provisions, including the UNSCR 1540 and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and Chemical Conventions, including Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Convention.
The Polish-Ukraine cooperation on chemical safety and security offers new opportunities to strengthen national and regional security, border controls, enhance trade co-operation, and build synergies in civil protection. The cooperation would further support the Ukraine integration efforts.
The preparations for the Forum are coordinated at the ICCS by Dr. Lech STAROSTIN, ICCSS Program Director: e-mail: l.starostin@iccss.eu, phone: +48 798266303.