ASSISTEX3, Tunis, Tunisia, 11–15 October 2010

• 1. General
• 2. Exercise Format
• 3. Exercise Location and Period
• 4. Exercise Participation
• 5. Exercise Objectives
• 6. Mission
• 7. Execution
• 8. Co-ordinating Instructions
• 9. Command
• 10. Communications and Information Systems (CIS)
• 11. Evaluation

1.1 The Third OPCW Exercise on the Delivery of Assistance (“ASSISTEX 3”) will be jointly planned and conducted with Tunisia as the host nation of the exercise. It will also actively involve other international organisations such as the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA).

1.2 The scenario for the field exercise will focus on the response to a request for assistance under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) after a threat and use of chemical weapons.

2.1 The exercise will consist of three phases:

− Phase one: Training phase;

− Phase two: Live Exercise Phase (major part of the exercise);

− Phase three: Demonstration/VIP day.

2.2 Concurrent with the operational work of the exercise, seminars will be conducted related to the scenario, with the aim to promoting an in-depth exchange of information on issues linked to Assistance and Prevention in case of Chemical Emergency, Regional Challenges and Aspects.

3.1 The field exercise will be conducted in the 7 November Sport Complex at Rades – Tunis- Tunisia, which is located in close proximity to the Capital. The active exercise period will be from 13 to 14 October 2010, followed by a demonstration day on 15 October 2010. Teams participating in the field exercise are expected to have arrived by 18.00 hrs on 11 October 2010, to be accommodated, to receive information and to prepare for the actual exercise.

4.1 Participants in the field exercise:

− Tunisian National Team

− Technical Secretariat/OPCW;

− UN-OCHA;

− Teams from OPCW States Parties

5.1 The main objectives of the exercise are as follows:

(a) to assess preparedness to receive and transmit requests to the OPCW for assistance, and responses to those requests;

(b) to assess the overall validity of standard operating procedures, working instructions and of other documents dealing with the delivery of assistance and the investigation of alleged use of chemical weapons;

(c) to assess notification and activation procedures;

(d) to improve coordination and cooperation among the emergency-response units provided by States Parties under Article X;

(e) to assess cooperation between the OPCW and other international organisations in the field; and

(f) to test the following at a practical level:

(i) the OPCW’s system for responding to requests for assistance from a State Party;

(ii) the dispatch of the assistance coordination and assessment team (ACAT) and of a team to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons; and

(iii) how the ACAT facilitates field-emergency response operations.

5.2 Additional exercise objectives include inter alia:

− To exercise the co-ordination of the delivery of international assistance by jointly setting up an OSOCC (On-Site-Operations Co-ordination Centre);

− To practice deployment procedures of OPCW and UN OCHA teams to the requesting country;

− To test co-ordination and communication of the Local Emergency Management Authority (LEMA) with national teams;

− To exercise cooperation between international and national teams;

− To practice national LEMA procedures and coordination procedures with liaison officers from participating National teams;

− To exercise the provision of first aid and medical care and evacuation of population;

− To practice chemical detection, reconnaissance, search and rescue, sampling, analysis and decontamination operations;

− To exercise reception and host nation support for international teams;

− To exercise public information aspects of dealing with public emergency;

− To practice logistic support of international teams during operations; and

− To test regional teams in their common approach to aspects of response procedures.

5.3 The specific objectives of the Technical Secretariat Team deployed are:

5.3.1. General:

− Deployment of OPCW team to the State Party requesting assistance (not performed in real time);

− Providing information relating to the mission in accordance with the OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy; and considering the need to develop further documentation and procedures in this area; and

− Reporting procedures utilised by the OPCW team.

5.3.2. Conduct of an investigation of alleged use of chemical weapons in the field, including:

− command, communications and control;

− reconnaissance/chemical detection, NDE;

− sample taking (also bio-medical samples);

− sample analysis on-site (not bio-medical samples);

− preparation of samples for off-site analysis;

− decontamination operations;

− medical investigation;

− interviews;

− health and safety support.

5.3.3. Assess the need for assistance and protection, including:

− conduct an initial rapid and combined assessment of on-site situation and needs of the Requesting State Party based on, inter alia:

• information from national and international agencies (e.g., LEMA, OSOCC);

• information on the on-site situation from the IAU team;

− chemical weapons down-wind hazard prediction (x-ref to command IAU);

5.3.4. Support the Requesting State Party in coordinating assistance, including:

− cooperation with UN OCHA team to set up of reception centre for incoming international teams;

• registration of teams;

• obtaining information on operational capabilities and support needs;

− participating in OSOCC activities and performing the following functions;

• receiving and fulfilling requests from LEMA;

• on-site coordination of emergency response units provided by OPCW States Parties under Article X;

• on-site coordination of resources provided via international organisations, e.g., UN-OCHA;

− providing expert advice upon request;

− providing information on other available resources (e.g., other assistance assets) as requested.

6.1 To conduct, in close cooperation with Tunisia as the host nation, ASSISTEX 3 and achieve the exercise objectives as listed in paragraph 5 of these Exercise Instructions.

7.2 The planning responsibility for ASSISTEX 3 is assigned to an Exercise Planning Team (EPT) comprising of planners from Tunisia and the OPCW. The EPT will develop the exercise scenario and programme in order to meet participating nations' expectations and their need for training.

7.3 The following planning milestones are taken into account:

a. The results from the Initial Planning Conference (IPC) in Tunis, Tunisia (16 – 20 November 2009);

b. The results from the Main Planning Conference (MPC) in The Hague, The Netherlands (29 – 31 March 2010);

c. The results from the Final Planning Conference (FPC) in Tunis, Tunisia (05 – 08 July 2010).

7.4 The detailed timetable of events/actions to be taken during the planning, conduct and reporting of the exercise can be found in Attachment 13.

8.1 All participating nations and organisations are strongly advised to ensure that the participants are fully conversant with the content of relevant documents where applicable and following the guidance contained in these exercise instructions. A general ASSISTEX 3 instructions and introduction handbook will be provided to all participants.

8.2 It is emphasised that artificialities are necessary in the design of this exercise; therefore, the scenario is generic, describing a use of chemical weapons in Tunisia.

9.2 An International Exercise Control/Directing Staff (EXCON/DISTAFF) will be established in the exercise area, consisting of EXCON/DISTAFF Officers from participating nations, the OPCW, Tunisia and relevant international organisations.

9.3 National personnel (simulation teams and role players) will assist the EXCON/DISTAFF to accomplish the aims and objectives of this exercise.

9.4 The function of the EXCON/DISTAFF is to direct and control the exercise play in order to achieve the aims and objectives. Instructions issued by the EXCON/DISTAFF are binding on players. EXCON/DISTAFF will be fully independent and physically separated from the players and it will have complete freedom of action and free access to all information in order to be able to direct the exercise.

9.5 The Head of EXCON/DISTAFF will, together with a number of EXCON/DISTAFF officers (national and international) be physically located in the same building as the Local Emergency Management Authority (LEMA) at the 7 November Sport Complex, but separated from the players. The other EXCON/DISTAFF officers will be with the On-Site Commanders, and the Public Information Centre (PIC), so that they can avail themselves on the presentation of the situation and at the same time monitor the exercise play.

9.6 The exercise will be conducted at 7 November Sport Complex at Rades – Tunis- Tunisia, which has four different sites, which will be numbered as follows:

Number Name

I OPEN STADIUM

II MAIN SPORT STADIUM

III MULTIPURPOSE SPORT HALL

IV PARKING AREA

9.7 Upon arrival, teams participating in the exercise will be provided with a map of the exercise area, indicating the exercise sites above.

9.8 Not all sites will necessarily be used simultaneously. In accordance with the actual available number, types and skills of the teams, the EXCON/DISTAFF will adjust the type and intensity of the events using the above mentioned exercise sites.

9.9 It is expected that the members of the EXCON/DISTAFF will have arrived at 7 November Sport Complex no later than Thursday 7 October 2010, in order to prepare for the actual exercise.

9.10 In order to be able to communicate with each other, Tunisia will provide members of the EXCON/DISTAFF and the Assessors Team with the appropriate communication equipment.

9.11 Emergency Termination and Emergency Suspension: If an emergency, which warrants the temporary suspension or termination of the exercise, exists in the opinion of one of the organizers, he/she may suspend/terminate the exercise.

9.12 Special attention should be given to the scale of the maps (1:50.000) for reporting the results. This is of particular importance to provide continuity and interoperability during the exercise.

Participants are to make every effort to ensure that exercise personnel are thoroughly familiar with the communications procedures of this exercise.

11.1 As the objectives of Exercise “ASSISTEX 3” are, inter alia, to practice OPCW procedures and OPCW capabilities in response to a request for assistance under Article X of the CWC, co-operation with other international organisations as well as to improve coordination and cooperation among the emergency response units provided by States Parties under Article X, an evaluation of the exercise and critical lessons learned report is envisaged.

11.2 In order to make a realistic evaluation of the participating units' capabilities to respond to a request for assistance, those participating in the planning for the exercise should, as much as possible, not be involved in the conduct of it, other than as an EXCON/DISTAFF member or evaluator. This will avoid full details disclosure of the exercise to the participants.