Seychelles renews commitment to advance CBRN risk mitigation strategy with EU support

Since its inception in 2010, the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence has committed to strengthening inter-agency cooperation as a key effort to counter chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) risks. Given the multidisciplinary nature of CBRN incidents, risk mitigation policies are effective when multiple actors with different expertise and responsibilities join forces.

With this mission in mind, the Initiative has pioneered over its 14-year success story, the establishment of National CBRN Teams and National Focal Points to oversee partner countries’ preparation and response in the CBRN domain. 

Composed of the different national institutions (e.g. ministries, agencies, research centres, universities etc.) involved in CBRN matters, National CBRN Teams are today one of the key elements for the successful development and implementation of a comprehensive and integrated CBRN risk mitigation strategy. At the core of the National CBRN Teams, elected National Focal Points play a crucial role in promoting coordination and communication among the team members, ensuring smooth multi-agency cooperation at the national, regional and international level. 

Currently, 47 National CBRN Teams are active within the EU CBRN CoE

Seychelles’ new push to enhance CBRN preparedness

With a shared mission to advance CBRN risk mitigation and strengthen security and safety worldwide, Seychelles and the European Union have committed to promote the re-establishment of a Seychellois National CBRN Team that will develop a renewed national action plan for CBRN risk mitigation. 

The East African country aims to establish a team of specialists within the next 3 months, who will be responsible for driving the national CBRN risk mitigation journey with the support of the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence initiative. 

“It is key to sit together as a country”

According to Ms. Vanesia Dodin, Seychelles’ National Focal Point, “the National CBRN Team will be composed of the various relevant authorities with respective mandates contributing to CBRN risk mitigation, as there is a broad spectrum of needs to monitor, to progress on at national level.”

“It is key to sit together as a country [when defining priorities in CBRN risk mitigation]. The National CBRN Team will be composed of different actors, but will always analyse, review and communicate as one team to prioritise CBRN needs of the country.”

Vanesia Dodin, Seychelles’ National Focal Point

The Seychelles’ Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD), whose mandate is to ensure disaster reduction, preparedness and response in the country, will officially endorse the National CBRN Team through a legal framework. “This will ensure that the Team is not only a part of the EU CRBN CoE initiative but that it is also a platform recognised in the Seychelles national legal framework”, points Ms. Dodin.

The DRMD will officially endorse the National CBRN Team through the Disaster Risk Management Act of 2014

Seychelles’ future CBRN national action plan will build up on a previous strategy prepared in 2016. “Once the new National CBRN Team is established, we will review the CBRN National Action Plan that was drafted in 2016. The objective is to assess its validity and update as needed, as there are new emerging risks to consider and prioritise”, adds Ms. Dodin.

Building a safer and more secure East and Central Africa 

Seychelles’ new push for the implementation of a national action plan for CBRN risk mitigation will be supported by the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence 

The Initiative works hand in hand with eleven partner countries within the East and Central Africa Regional Secretariat to strengthen the mitigation of and preparedness against CBRN risks at national and regional level, including: Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia. 

Currently, five EU-funded projects are active in the region with the goal of enhancing CBRN preparedness and response capabilities, such as biosafety and biosecurity, or CBRN import/export monitoring.

Visit the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation page to learn more about the EU CBRN CoE and other EU flagship initiatives strengthening CBRN safety and security worldwide.

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*. Participants from the government and various agencies included the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA), the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Service Agency (SFRSA), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change, and Environment (MACCE).