2nd Safe and Secure Approaches to Field Environments (SSAFE) for experts on UNSGM roster concluded

From 5-11 May, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) and the UNDP organized a training course in Thailand on ‘Safe and Secure Approaches in Field Environments’ (SSAFE) for the United Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigations of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (UNSGM). 

This was the second SSAFE course organized for the UNSGM, with the aim of providing qualified experts on the UNSGM roster with the knowledge and understanding of the practical skills that will help them to respond effectively to various higher-risk safety or security incidents. 

A group of 14 experts on the UNSGM roster from 13 countries participated in the course. During the one-week course, representatives from UNDP and UNDSS provided an overview of the UN Security Management System and general guidelines for working in field environments. Participants also received training on medical elements of working in the field, with theoretical lessons, demonstrations, and practical exercises on individual first aid and managing injuries in field environments. Participants also undertook a half-day field simulation with seven scenarios, in which participants put into practice the lessons covered during the course. Participants also completed relevant testing and received certifications in both SSAFE and Individual First Aid. At the conclusion of the course, UNODA led participants in an interactive discussion on how the skills covered in the course could be applied in the context of a UNSGM investigation.  

This advanced skill training course provided the invited experts with a common understanding of the United Nations principles, guidelines and policies to enhance their security awareness, all of which will be necessary should they be deployed as part of a UNSGM investigation. 

In addition to the support provided by UNDP and UNDSS, financial support for the workshop was generously provided by the Government of Canada.  

For more information about the UNSGM, please visit https://disarmament.unoda.org/wmd/secretary-general-mechanism.