During the final meetings of the 2020 Global Partnership France joined ICCSS in the development and implementation of the Middle East chemical security program.
2020 Global Partnership has provided support for the ICCSS developed and run regional approach to chemical safety and security: GO REGIONAL ON CHEMICAL SAFETY AND SECURITY. Each region poses different security challenges as well as opportunities. Different regions have their own cultural distinctiveness, and this is true even within regions. The regional approach allows the ICCSS to be flexible in its engagement and to promote chemical safety and security to be adjusted to different cultures, different perceptions of security, and the various priorities of nations in the region concerned.
A key element of the ICCSS regional approach is the development and implementation of the Middle East chemical security program. 2020 Global Partnership included a road map and a series of projects, jointly developed and promoted by ICCSS and Jordan.
France- ICCSS partnership and support for the Middle East Chemical Security program included the financial donation for the project on the development of Jordan as regional hub for chemical safety and security. France also agreed to promote the program internationally and seek support, including from the EU, for its funding and comprehensive implementation. France also agreed to conduct in the spring 2021 a joint donor’s conference to finance the agreed projects within the program. French and ICCSS partners will conduct regular meetings to assess progress in the program development and implementation.
France political and financial support enabled to start the Middle East Chemical Security program implementation already in 2020 with the development of first training courses, providing international expertise and administrative support.
While thanking France for the partnership and support in the Middle East Chemical Security program, Amb. Krzysztof Paturej, ICCSS President, highlighted the active and innovative approach by France to mitigate new security, economic and political challenges, which included growing chemical threat. France actively cooperates with and provides support for all the relevant stakeholders, including relevant industries, academia and civil society, in joint efforts to reduce chemical proliferation and terrorist threats.
Additional Information
Middle East Chemical Security program provides for a series of concrete projects to enhance chemical safety and security in the whole chain of chemical activities. The program puts emphasis on improving chemical safety and security in international transit, storage and transport of toxic chemicals, in the whole region. The program is based on the Jordan project on chemical safety and security, financed in 2018-2019 by US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), developed and implemented ICCSS and Jordan Armed Forces as a model chemical security national regulatory framework. The Jordan project was joined by majority of the countries of the Middle East, which expressed interest in implementing similar approaches.
Middle East Chemical Security program provides for a series of concrete projects to enhance chemical safety and security in the whole chain of chemical activities.
The backbone of the program is the development of Jordan as regional hub for chemical safety and security. The first program priorities are the development and introduction of training program, in train the trainers format, for the countries of the Middle East. This training program will be implemented at the Amman CBRN Training Centre, which will be upgraded to the regional centre for chemical safety and security (ChemReg).