ICCSS leads the development of Middle East Chemical Security Programme
From enhancing Chemical Security in Jordan to the development of Middle Chemical Safety and Security Program and Introducing Chemical Safety and Regional Security Confidence Building Measures
The Middle East Programme was proposed by the ICCSS and Jordan to respond to urgent needs of the Middle East countries and African countries to respond to continued and growing threat of misuse of chemicals. It is a continuous process, consisting of numerous activities to improve national chemical safety and security regulatory national frameworks, development of training and exercise capacities, increase of national and regional chemical security resilience against chem-bio threats, and promote chemical safety and security and cybersecurity regional confidence building measures.
Middle East Chemical Security Programme was proceeded by the introduction in 2018 – 2020 a national regulatory system for chemical safety and security and to prevent, reduce and mitigate chem-bio threats in Jordan. Through Jordan Chemical Security Project, funded by US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) in 2018-2019, ICCSS coordinated the development of model national gap analysis, implemented national training scheme in Jordan. Since 2020 ICCSS has been assisted in the development of Jordan as regional hub for chemical safety and security. Following France donation in 2020 a first project started to be implemented within Middle East Chemical Security Programme on upgrading the Amman CBRN Training Centre towards Regional Centre for Chemical Safety and Security (ChemReg).
Since 2022 the Middle East Chemical Security Programme concentrates on the introduction of national regulatory chemical safety and security framework, development and organization of regional train the trainers courses at ChemReg. A leading element of the program is the development of chemical safety and security confidence building measures for the Middle East, as a foundation for enhancing chemical safety and security culture in the whole chain of activities in chemical and energy carrier activities among all relevant stakeholders. The concept paper for such confidence building measures was agreed during the Amman-Warsaw Seminar on chemical safety and security, in April 2019.
REGIONAL CENTRE FOR CHEMICAL SAFETY AND SECURITY (ChemReg)
ChemReg serves as training hub in Train the Trainers (TTT) format and offers national and regional training framework.
ChemReg develops and provides standardized and certified training programs (curriculums & Trainers) for Jordan and the region of the Middle East.
ChemReg develops network of regional trainers and trainings courses/exercises ChemReg developson-line reference library to assist trainers, trainees and national and industry users with safety and security.
In 2021, in first stage, 40 Jordan trainers were trained and certified – within the France donation - in the ICCSS developed and conducted trainers training course and study tours in Jordan and Poland.
Those 40 trainers were prepared in two streams: Male and Female streams. They create a training backbone of the ChemReg for national and regional trainings.
A special attention is paid to the development of a female stream to offer trainings in chemical security and civil protection to female candidates from the Middle East.
ChemReg in the second stage (started in 2022) will conduct at ChemReg first regional training for the countries of region and offer national courses in the Middle east and Africa.
ChemReg will cooperate with relevant international partners, including OPCW, EU, UNSCR 1540 Cttee, INTERPOL, WCO, so that those bodies could use the ChemReg as a facility to conduct their chemical safety and surety related activities for the Middle East.
Core principle of the Middle East Chemical Security Programme is that financing chemical safety and security is not a cost but an investment in national and regional security, economic development and international cooperation
2020-2023 ROADMAP ON CHEMICAL SAFETY AND SECURITY IN JORDAN AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Roadmap provides for a strategy to enhance chem-bio safety and security in the Middle East, starting from the development of Jordan as the regional hub and the Joint CBRN Training Facility in Amman as a regional centre for chemical safety and security (ChemReg). Roadmap provides for a series of activities and projects developed by JAF and ICCSS, submitted within G7 Global Partnership (G7 GP) for financial support, to move chemical safety and security to the Middle East and Africa. They include 4 project with funding required:
1. Improvement of Jordan National Regulatory System on Chemical Safety and Security: 750 000 USD
2. Improving Jordan capacity to protect chemical and energy carrier critical infrastructure against terrorism and hybrid threats – 500 000 US.
3. Development of Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Goes Chemical Safety and Security to enhance security throughout the chemical lifecycle;Improve Chemical Security and Enhance Companies Cooperation in Prevention of and Preparedness against man-made and natural chemical disasters: 900 000 USD.
4. Development of national regulatory and training framework for cross-boundary movement of toxic chemicals - 650 000 USD.
For more details, please visit dedicated website: http://www.cbm.iccss.eu/
For cooperation and support please contact: Amb. Krzysztof Paturej, ICCSS President at: e-mail: k.paturej@iccss.eu