UAE CBRN HUB
Orbrix Technical & Occupational Skills Training in partnership with Knowledge Group, a division of the Abu Dhabi University launched the CBRN Hub in partnership with key international players including the EU CBRN CoE Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council Region in November 2020. By combining a broad spectrum of expertise, knowledge and resources under one roof, including national and international experts from the Orbrix, Knowledge Group, and the EU CBRN CoE Office for the Gulf Cooperation Council Region, the Hub provides focused management and prioritization of capabilities development in line with national and regional policies and priorities.
In addition to its main objectives, the CBRN Hub in the UAE is to ensure the readiness to tackle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents which provides a one-stop shop for all aspects related to CBRN education, training, exercises and research. The CBRN Hub offers an interactive platform to engage with field experts and learn about a range of different disciplines. The vision of the UAE CBRN Hub is to have the CBRN Hub as the approved facility for a resource and central point of operation for all stakeholders and parties involved in planning for and responding to CBRN events.
Dr Ahmed Zaid Saeed Al Shemeili – Founder of CBRN Hub UAE; Official representative of the UAE in the European Union Regional Secretariat of CoE for CBRN Emergencies - Representative to UAE in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) commented “A few years ago, an idea was seeded, watered, nurtured and finally brought to Fruition by an amazing team through collaborations and partnerships. The UAE CBRN Hub works in close cooperation with the EU CoE Initiative, and International Organizations such as the CoE, European Union, European Commission, UNICRI, IAEA, OPCW, WHO and INTERPOL, to ensure that in addition to fulfilling the Training Requirements of all stakeholders, the Hub will support these stakeholders through, future Research and development projects and include Services like After-service customer care including Risk and threat assessment support, Development of response plans and procedures, Implementation support, and organizational and response evaluations.”
The CBRN Hub is confident that through its partnerships we raise the prestige and leadership of the UAE in CBRN preparedness and response by becoming a regional center for CBRN training and research. Working with all stakeholders in CBRN, the Hub opens its training and education program to the CBRN community in GCC countries, and to organizations from the entire Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The UAE has the technological knowledge and the de facto role to be the regional leader in CBRN field of training, development and research, and therefore the CBRN Hub launched by Orbrix in partnership with Knowledge Group with n the UAE fills this regional gap.”
CBRN emergency calls for cooperation of a very wide spectrum of organizations and could very well require transborder and international collaboration. Interoperability and a consistently high level of response capabilities are key factors in ensuring an efficient and effective response. The UAE CBRN Hub promotes standardization, consistent high-level preparedness and high-quality response performance through individual, single-organization, multi-disciplinary and regional training and research activities. It is a one-stop shop for all aspects related to CBRN education, training, exercises and research and will work in close cooperation with all stakeholders to ensure that the training is relevant, adapted to the constantly evolving security threat basis and in line with up-to-date doctrines, practices and safety standards in the area. Moreover, the UAE CBRN Hub is set to establish an Augmented and Virtual Reality learning center in the UAE, to be the first of its kind in the Gulf Region and the Middle East and will join the ranks of the world’s top AR/VR training academies for civil protection and emergency responders, including those in Singapore, Korea and UK.
