Call for Nominations for the Eighth International Basic Course on Assistance and Protection

The Technical Secretariat (hereinafter “the Secretariat”) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the Government of Serbia wish to invite Member States to nominate candidates for an assistance-and-protection training course, which will be held from 4 to 8 June 2012 in Kruševac, Serbia.

This course is related to the offer made by Serbia under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”), pertaining to assistance and protection against chemical weapons. The aim of the course is to provide training on the following:

1. planning and establishing a support team for the protection of civilian populations against chemical weapons;
2. mounting rescue operations in contaminated areas;
3. responding to incidents involving chemical-warfare agents;
4. using individual and collective protective equipment;
5. using monitoring, detection, and decontamination techniques; and
6. taking samples.

The course will also offer an overview of the kinds of assistance that the OPCW and Serbia can provide. The course will facilitate the exchange of information and experiences regarding the implementation of Article X of the Convention, and provide a forum for discussion among Member States on future cooperation and and on offers that have been made by Member States to the OPCW under Article X.