Africa Shield: Rabat Hosts First Weapons of Mass Destruction Conference
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From August 4 to 6, the international program to combat proliferation (International Counterproliferation ProgramICP) relief of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) organized, in partnership with the Center of Excellence for the reduction of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risks (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Risk Mitigation Centres of ExcellenceCBRN Coe) of the European Union and the United Nations Interregional Research Institute on Crime and Justice (United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research InstituteUnicri), the regional meeting “Africa Shield 2025” in Rabat.
This first meeting brought together nearly one hundred representatives from several countries on the African continent, from the police, the armies, public administrations and national bodies responsible for the implementation of the 1540 resolution of the United Nations Security Council.
Increased cooperation and specialized exchanges
The work has focused on increasing cooperation and widening skills in the prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related materials. Participants discussed the methods experienced at the international level, presented national and regional programs and examined tracks to strengthen the control devices throughout the continent. The themes examined concerned: the management of borders and the security of logistics chains, with the study of regional traffic operated by non -state actors, procedures for crossing and secure transport of illicit or double use; intelligence circulation and the conduct of emergency interventions, in order to improve the sharing of information and coordination in the event of an CBRN incident or linked to the weapons of mass destruction; Export control and control of double -use technologies, by improving regulatory executives and monitoring mechanisms to prevent illicit transfers; Finally, the survey on CBRN offenses and the financing of proliferation, with the improvement of specialized skills and the dismantling of financial support networks.
A sustainable framework for regional security
According to the organizers, “Africa Shield 2025 offered a precious framework to deepen knowledge, identify regional deficiencies and build lasting links between practitioners of the fight against proliferation”. The DTRA underlined its attachment to continue its cooperation with the African States with a view to “Preserve global security and contain the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction”.