5th Sitting of the Interagency Coordination Council on Combating CBRN Threats was held at the Hotel Courtyard Marriott. Alexander Khojevanishvili, Deputy Head of the State Security Service and the chairman of Coordination Council opened the sitting.
During the sitting, the Secretariat of the Council presented the activities carried out by the member agencies throughout 2018, as well as a report on the implementation of 2015-2019 action plan under the National Strategy of CBRN Threat Mitigation.
During the sitting, invited guests and international partners have highlighted the achieved progress in relation to CBRN National Action Plan priorities and objectives, which is the outcome of effective and coordinated work carried out by the members of the Council.
Representatives of member agencies of the Council have discussed the activities of the National Action Plan and have granted relevant status of implementation. They have also agreed on holding thematic working meeting essential to update the Plan. The first thematic meeting has been scheduled for the first quarter of 2020.
Charge D ‘Affairs of the US Embassy to Georgia, Ms. Elizabeth Rood and head of cooperation of Delegation of the European Union To Georgia, Vincent Rey, as well as the representatives of Regional Secretariat of CBRN Risk Mitigation Excellence Center, and UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) attended the sitting. The event was held under the auspices of the EU.
Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Solomon Pavliashvili, Head of Emergency Management Service under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Teimuraz Mgebrishvili, Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for CBRN Threats Mitigation Nikoloz Rtveliashvili and representatives from other member agencies of the Council (State Security Service of Georgia, Emergency Management Service, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs) participated in the event.
During the council sitting, the Deputy head of State Security Service of Georgia, Alexander Khojevanishvili awarded with Service certificate the UNICRI representative Francesco Miorin for assistance in CBRN security sphere provided for Georgian agencies for last years. Francesco Miorin Contributed significantly to the development of both the CBRN National Strategy and the Action Plan.
“At the Coordination Council we have assessed our results achieved in five years, as well as achievements and successes. Our partner countries and international organizations speak openly on Georgia’s role and success in countering nuclear smuggling. To this very end, in order to exchange information and share experience, they visit relevant experts of the State Security Service on frequent basis. After our previous sitting, units of the State Security Service have suppressed two important facts in this direction” – Alexander Khojevanishvili, Deputy Head of the State Security Service stated.
“I’m very pleased to be participate in Georgia’s fifth interagency coordination council, covering chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. United States has commited providing continue assistance to Georgia including to complete it’s national action plan, So, that the country will be fully prepared, to prevent and respond to any kind of threat involving chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials. Over years, United States has provided substantial assistance Georgia’s agencies and ministries, that are carring out work in this very important area of national Security. United States has very strong cooperation with the State Security Service of Georgia including conducting workshops like this, in providing technical support and in strengthen Georgia’s ability throw State Security Service of Georgia and partner agencies to respond to threats in this area”- said US Embassy Charge d' affaires to Georgia Elizabeth Rood.
“We are absolutely delighted, that the State Security Service of Georgia took the task of to be the focal point, meaning coordinating all the state agencies. As always, the State Security Service of Georgia Is very professional. We very much value this cooperation. We have cooperation in other field, like border management and we starting new cooperation with our so called “SAFE programme” on preventing crime. So, it’s been great and we are looking forward. With the help of the State Security Service of Georgia, which is the focal point for CBRN threats, the country has put together a plan of action, which than collect all the difference state institutions, all the difference actors in Georgia. So, there is a vision, plan and it’s about starting implement plan. Has been already some progress on control state border, on dealing with nuclear waste, preparing legislation In some areas. So, we have half way on the way to realize the plan”- said head of cooperation of Delegation of the European Union To Georgia, Vincent Rey.
“I have to say, that Georgia is one of our most important partner, one of pioneer fighting against CBRN threats. This meeting of the council demonstrates, Georgia achieved a lot and they are fully committed to do more and more in the fight against CBRN. We look forward during this meeting to hear about Georgia’s progress and Georgia’s vision for the future. We hope and we are sure, our cooperation will continue and will reinforce over the next years”-said the UNICRI representative Francesco Miorin.
