Cambodia strengthens CBRN risk readiness with EU-supported capacity-building programme on chemical hazards response

The legacy of past conflicts in the Southeast Asian region has left behind unexploded ordnance, hazardous remnants, and unknown chemical threats, posing ongoing risks to public safety and environmental security. In Cambodia, this means that response teams must be prepared to handle potential chemical hazards effectively. However, the Cambodian CBRN response forces have had limited opportunities to regularly practice identifying, handling, removing, and safely disposing of hazardous materials, including large quantities of contaminated soil. Addressing these risks requires specialized, credible, and hands-on training.

To strengthen their preparedness, Cambodia, through its National Authority for Chemical Weapons (NACW) and other relevant stakeholders, conducted a comprehensive training program from 2–13 December 2024. With support from the European Union, this initiative included a specialized sampling training session, as well as a tabletop, drill, and field exercise, allowing Cambodian responders to practice and refine their response protocols. 

A capacity-building programme for increased readiness

The capacity-building programme began with a one-week sampling training course, which assessed the capacities of the participants and provided them with additional knowledge, tools and protocols. The second week included a tabletop, drill, and field exercise.

The exercises covered critical procedures of CBRN response such as scene-reconnaissance, search and rescue, casualty medical support, decontamination, sampling, hazardous chemical removal and transport, site security, command post tasks, and interagency communication.

“CBRN is unfamiliar to most people, and even to most responding agencies, which is why exercises are of critical importance in raising awareness and challenging existing plans for these infrequent but highly destructive incidents. In CBRN, failure during an exercise leads to a positive outcome – failure during a real-life incident leads to tragedy.” - John Jones, Team Leader of Project 106

International collaboration for strengthened responses

The capacity-building programme was prepared and delivered by a team of 8 experts from across the world, including Belgium, France, Poland, Slovakia, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, in close collaboration with NACW and Cambodian authorities. 

The onsite technical assistance expert of the CBRN CoE Regional Secretariat for Southeast Asia also provided support in evaluating the field exercise. The interactive sessions allowed for fruitful exchanges of knowledge, experience, and best practices between the experts and the participants – including procedures developed by ASEAN specifically for the region.

This two-week programme also offered a platform to reinforce synergies between four key Cambodian agencies: NACW, military firefighters, military hospital medical teams, and the national gendarmerie. Thus, these sessions have contributed to achieving better operational readiness and cooperation across sectors to manage complex chemical hazards.

“It is my pleasure to work with my fellow South-East brothers and it is a privilege to meet their officials. I hope they [have been] able to learn from me as much as I have learned from them.” - Cheska Jem Embudo, CBRN Expert and Project 106 Evaluator

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Outcomes and impact

The 79 participants demonstrated remarkable progress when putting their learning into practice through the drill and field exercise. At the end of the programme, they were able to respond to a life-like scenario with advanced technical and coordination skills, as well as improved protocols. The capacity-building programme has also strengthened the abilities of Cambodian CBRN forces to coordinate responses on a national and international level by facilitating dialogue between practitioners and agencies. 

Overall, these exercises have reinforced collaboration on CBRN-risk preparedness between the EU and the Kingdom of Cambodia and have enhanced the mutual understanding of capability requirements.

“I am really grateful to work with the team experts who have valuable knowledge and experience from real CBRN [operations] as well as technical understanding of [responses] to CBRN incidents.”  - Sat Chansovannary, NACW CBRN expert

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TEST: improving CBRN threats readiness on a global scale

The capacity building programme in Cambodia was supported through the EU CBRN CoE Project 106 - CBRN Table top and field Exercises, Simulations, Training (TEST) to mitigate risks.

Established in the context of the EU CBRN CoE Initiative, the three and a half years project (May 2024 – November 2027) collaborates with the 63 partner countries of the CBRN CoE Network - from 8 regions across Africa, Europe and Asia - with the aim of improving preparedness, detection of, response and mitigation against risks related to CBRN materials, and to enhance cooperation among CBRN stakeholders.

TEST builds on the successes of the EU CBRN CoE by strengthening the skills acquired in previous CoE projects and by enhancing the participants’ knowledge via different types of capacity-building activities. The project has an on-demand format in which partner countries request assistance based on the needs identified by the project team through a bottom-up analysis.

Funded by the European Union, the project is implemented by GOPA PACE (Consortium lead), together with ISEM Institute (Technical co-lead), GOPA Worldwide, the Belgian National Crisis Center and the University of Łódź (Consortium Partners). 

To learn more about the EU CBRN CoE support to CBRN risk mitigation in Southeast Asia, visit the Regional Secretariat page