NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 2 – Kenya will now host the Regional Secretariat for Eastern and Central Africa which will be responsible for mitigating risks posed by the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) materials in the region.
The secretariat which will be hosted by the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) will also be tasked with strengthening capacities to prevent and respond to threats ranging from crimes such as terrorism, illicit trafficking, theft, sabotage, to industrial accidents and infectious disease outbreaks among others.
Speaking on Tuesday during the launch of a regional secretariat, Prof Erastus Gatebe, the KNRA Board Chairperson, said the initiative which was approved by the government in 2015 is meant to promote national security and public safety.
“You have seen that these materials or chemicals have the good use and bad use. if they are in proper hands and regulated, they can be of good use to us as humanity, but if they are in other hands, they can also be misused and that is where legislation is also important,” said Gatebe.
He stated that the center which comprises of 11 partner countries will play a critical role in the regional coordination pointing out that security is a shared responsibility.
Gatebe added that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the establishment of the CBRN COE, Regional Secretariat for ECA was executed on November 9, 2021 in Turin, Italy between the United Nations (UN) represented by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) represented by KNRA.
The EU Centres of Excellence on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Risk Mitigation (CBRN CoE) is an initiative of the European Union which was launched in 2010. The Initiative addresses the mitigation of and preparedness for risks related to CBRN material and agents.
United Nations Resident Coordinator for Kenya, Stephen Jackson emphasized the need for cooperation saying no country or region can stay safe in isolation from the risk of CBRN threats.
“This is why, from 2010 onwards, UNICRI has worked with the European commission to create and implement the CBRN Centers of Excellence around the world… and that initiative is shaping new comprehensive international cooperation models and standards based on a universal understanding of risks and the global commitment to share and pool representatives,” he said.
Jackson stated that from the UN perspective the initiative is pushing towards the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He noted that during the COVID-19 crises the decentralized network around CBRN in the region proved its resilience.
Henriette Geiger, Head of European Union Delegation Kenya called on countries to pay keen attention on matters of security and to be well prepared to handle issues of national importance.
“We don’t know what the future holds, we only know that the threats of CBRN are not going away…The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us what a biological risk can do globally,” she said.
She added that the initiative has 62 partners countries pointing out that all countries have national focal points and focal teams adding that she will support the project to ensure its success.
The national focal points are supported by a regional secretariat which is hosted by one partner country in the region.
Isaac Masinde from the interior ministry stated that the security organs are very concerned with the CBRN issues adding that they have started developing the strategic goods control bill which he said is currently at the cabinet level
“Issues concerning CBRN are very critical, given that we are living in an era whereby we have so many people who may be having bad intentions. We have terrorists who may want to maybe kill or use it to achieve their objectives a government we are moving forward to ensure that this people do not access these materials,” he added.
He added that the government will continue creating awareness to the public on how to handle CBRN materials
Dr Francis Kuria from the Ministry of Health stated that COVID-19 has taught the region the need for collaboration on various issues.
He called on the secretariat to streamline training curriculum on CBRN pointing out that the area is still lacking.
