Preparation of National Emergency Response Team in Peru

Lima, Peru, 13–18 April 2008

Following a successful emergency response course in January 2008, and at the request of the Government of Peru, OPCW provided assistance in the training of a national emergency response team on issues relating to weapons of mass destruction. The training course was held in Lima from 13 to 18 April 2008 and focused on developing practical skills with equipment in potentially contaminated areas, team building and coordinated response to the use, or threatened use, of chemical weapons.

The course was conducted to prepare the national police team in charge of emergency response for two important international events in Lima - the APEC Summit in May 2008, and the EU-Latin American Summit in November 2008. The participants included 22 police officers and observers from Peru’s national anti-terrorist units.

The OPCW Assistance and Protection Branch (APB) provided practical training with protection and decontamination equipment to equip the participants with skills necessary for tactical deployment and working in potentially contaminated areas. Other States Parties provided additional equipment and donations to the national police as a contribution for the training course.