The first hours and days following a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) event are crucial for assessing the situation, mobilizing appropriate resources, and ensuring an effective and timely response.
To address this need, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), in partnership with the U.S. Department of State (DoS) and the European Union CBRN Centres of Excellence Initiative (CoE), organized a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) as part of the project “Toolkit on Effective CBRN Planning and Response for Policymakers and CBRN Managers”, through the Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD) as the CBRN CoE for Seychelles.
The exercise held at Laila, a Tribute Portfolio Resort from November 5–7, 2024, aimed at raise awareness on the risks and threats posed by CBRN events, with a particular focus on chemical attacks.
The TTX also sought to enhance coordination among stakeholders and improve response strategies by offering participants hands-on experience with the toolkit. This experience was designed to help participants apply the toolkit’s principles and tools to strengthen CBRN preparedness and response efforts.
Throughout day 1 of the exercise, participants deluged into a series of presentations focusing on the challenges and best practices related to chemical security in Seychelles, alongside ongoing CBRN initiatives in Seychelles.
For day 2, participants were divided into groups and presented with several CBRN incident scenarios. Each group worked collaboratively to develop plans and strategies for responding to and containing these CBRN incidents.
Moving to day 3, participants will engage in facilitated discussion to reflect on their experience from the TTX and the application of the toolkit. This session will focus on identifying potential recommendations to improve the national CBRN planning and response.
This collaborative event will help reinforce the importance of effective coordination and preparedness in addressing CBRN events and to showcase the value of the toolkit in enhancing national and international response capabilities.
