The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) is pleased to share the successful conclusion of the second train-the-trainers (TTT) event held within the framework of the ATLAS project. From 2 to 6 October 2023, UNICRI, in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Moroccan authorities, convened in Rabat, Morocco, to strengthen the nation’s capabilities in preventing chemical weapons attacks orchestrated by non-state actors through the use of enhanced intelligence-sharing and inter-agency cooperation mechanisms.
With the support of the UNICRI-FBI team of experts, a cohort of fourteen government officials representing key Moroccan agencies took part in a demanding training program. Participants hailed from a diverse array of institutions, including the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Intelligence services, Customs, the Armed Forces, the Gendarmerie, the Auxiliary Forces, and Civil Protection.
The train-the-trainers event was designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to effectively thwart chemical weapons attacks by non-state actors. The comprehensive curriculum included frontal lectures, interactive discussions, and practical exercises which spanned the four pivotal phases of a chemical attack. Important topics such as financial intelligence, the acquisition of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals, and the tactical methodologies employed by non-state actors in target selection were all covered.
Over the course of five intensive days, participants engaged in an array of group activities aimed at fostering collaboration and evaluating potential chemical weapon threats. Modules encompassing scenario analysis and tabletop activity planning provided invaluable opportunities to acquire pedagogical know-how while gaining hands-on experience.
Following their successful completion of the training, the participants are now ready to take the lead in planning and executing their own national training event, sharing their expertise with colleagues from national law enforcement and security agencies. By embracing the “train-the-trainers” approach, UNICRI strives to establish a sustainable framework for knowledge dissemination and capacity building in the fight against chemical weapons threats.
About ATLAS: Preventing non-state actors from planning and carrying out chemical weapons attacks through intelligence-led operations.
Atlas is a pilot project which aims to prevent non-state actors from planning and carrying out chemical weapons attacks by developing and implementing training programmes in North Africa. Designed within the framework of the European Union (EU) Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Centres of Excellence (CoE) Initiative, the ATLAS project is implemented by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and with the financial support of the United States (US) Department of State (DoS).
For more information about the ATLAS project, please click here.
