EU launches new four-year project to strengthen CBRN medical emergency preparedness and response in Southeast Asia

Regardless of their origin (natural, accidental or deliberate), CBRN incidents share similar features, requiring similar prevention, detection and response measures. Diverse stakeholders, such as law enforcement agencies, prehospital and hospital emergency medical care services and laboratories, play a critical role in preventing and rapidly responding to hazards of this kind.

Consequently, it is essential that countries have in place sound and collaborative CBRN multi-hazard medical emergency preparedness and response plans to minimise health consequences following CBRN incidents, crisis and events.

10 Partner Countries, four-year project

As part of its mission to advance CBRN risk mitigation and enhance security and safety worldwide, the European Union has launched a project to support the strengthening of CBRN medical emergency preparedness and response in Southeast Asia.

Established in the context of the EU CBRN CoE Initiative, ten partner countries will participate in the project, which will span four years at least (December 2023 – November 2027), namely: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. All participating countries are members of the EU CBRN CoE Regional Secretariat for Southeast Asia.

Funded by the European Union, the project will be implemented by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC). Based in Kazakhstan, the ISTC supports the promotion of a culture of safety and security, and responsible science, by advancing civilian science and technology partnerships addressing CBRN risks.

What activities will the project support?

The project ‘Strengthening CBRN medical emergency preparedness and response in Southeast Asia’ will support the following activities, among others:

• Analyse existing CBRN medical emergency preparedness and response capabilities in the partner countries, and carry out studies to identify actions that enhance CBRN medical emergency preparedness and response in the region;
• Implement capacity-building activities dedicated to strengthening national and regional preparedness to CBRN medical emergencies;
• Organise missions in agreement with the partner countries and in coordination with the Regional Secretariat for Southeast Asia to advance strategic and operational cooperation addressing CBRN risk mitigation.

Visit the project’s page for a complete overview of its scope, specific goals, and recent achievements.

EU CBRN Risk Mitigation: Building a safer and more secure world

The European Union funds the project ‘Strengthening CBRN medical emergency preparedness and response in Southeast Asia’ within the framework of the European Union Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence EU CBRN CoE. Supported through the NDICI – Global Europe instrument, the Initiative represents the EU’s largest civilian external security programme.

Funded and implemented by the European Union, with the support of UNICRI, the EU CBRN CoE is working to build a safer and more secure world.

The EU CBRN CoE brings together 64 Partner Countries across 8 regions that cooperate at regional and international level to strengthen CBRN risk mitigation and to promote a global culture of safety and security. Since the Initiative’s inception in 2010, more than 100 EU-funded projects have been implemented to support the mitigation of and preparedness to CBRN risks.

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.