Central Asia Strengthens Preparedness for Mass Gatherings under EU CBRN Initiative

Central Asia has strengthened its preparedness for mass gatherings and complex health threats through coordinated training, institutional cooperation and specialised equipment delivered under the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence.

Mass gatherings — from international sporting events to political assemblies — present significant public health and security challenges. Large concentrations of people increase pressure on emergency services and heighten exposure to food- and water-borne risks. In complex urban environments, the presence of hazardous materials, industrial infrastructure, or transportation hubs can amplify the consequences of chemical, biological, or radiological incidents.

The EU CBRN CoE Project 87 — Preparedness and Response for Mass Gatherings and Other Health Threats in Central Asia (PRECA) — was implemented to reinforce regional and country-level readiness across six Partner Countries:

Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan / Mongolia / Pakistan / Tajikistan / Uzbekistan.

Implemented over 4.5 years with total EU funding of €3.5 million, the initiative enhanced institutional capacities, delivered specialized equipment, and trained nearly 1,200 specialists to improve operational response for large-scale events and other health-related risks. This action was implemented with the support of the European Union through the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence.

Addressing such scenarios requires coordinated public health, emergency management, and CBRN response capabilities — a core objective of PRECA. The programme focused on advancing capacities across the following priority areas:

• Food and water safety
• Chemical incident management
• Establishment of Poisons Information Centers
• Public health Command, Control and Communication (C3)

The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) acted as the implementing and coordinating partner, ensuring structured delivery of activities, procurement, and regional coherence across participating countries.

Advancing Regional and Country-Level Readiness

To consolidate response frameworks, the initiative delivered:

• Train-the-Trainer workshops enabling sustainable knowledge transfer
• National training programmes covering food safety, water safety, chemical incidents, and C3
• Establishment of Regional Working Groups promoting coordinated cross-border collaboration
• Steering Committee meetings ensuring governance oversight

Practical readiness was reinforced through:

• Simulation exercises testing emergency response plans under realistic mass gathering scenarios
• Risk and Media Communication training strengthening crisis communication capacities
• EU Study Visits facilitating technical exchange with European expert bodies

These structured interventions fostered cooperation at domestic, regional, and international levels while supporting long-term institutional development.

Partner Institutions

Project 87 was implemented in close cooperation with national authorities and specialized agencies across all participating countries.

Key beneficiary and implementing bodies included:

• Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry for Emergency Situations, Ministry of Healthcare, Hospital of the Medical Center of the President's Affairs Administration
• Kyrgyz Republic Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, Ministry of Health, Ministry for Emergency Situations
• Islamic Republic of Pakistan National Institute of Health
• Republic of Tajikistan CBRN Safety and Security Agency
• Republic of Uzbekistan Center for the Development of Professional Qualification of Medical Workers and Republican Research Center of Emergency Medicine
• Mongolia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change

The initiative also engaged Regional Working Groups and international expert organizations, strengthening cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange.

From Capacity Building to Operational Readiness

Beyond training activities, the programme equipped participating countries with tools and resources to support rapid and coordinated action.

Equipment was delivered in line with domestic requirements, ranging from chemical detection devices and advanced laboratory analytical systems to radiation monitoring tools and rapid testing kits.

Selected representative examples include:

• Real-time hazardous substance detection devices
• High-performance analytical laboratory equipment
• Radiation monitoring systems
• Rapid water testing kits
• Digital communication and teleconsultation tools

The equipment delivered under Project 87 has been incorporated into surveillance frameworks, laboratory networks, emergency response structures, and regulatory mechanisms, supporting sustainable operational capability.

As a result, participating countries now operate with strengthened detection, laboratory, communication and coordinated response capacities for mass gathering and complex health-related scenarios.

Voices from the Field

To date, among specialists who have been trained many are now transferring knowledge within their respective organizations, continuing to train colleagues and embedding improved practices into domestic frameworks.

The impact of Project 87 is reflected in continued knowledge transfer and operational integration within beneficiary institutions.

Below are five selected testimonials from beneficiary organizations, highlighting how the equipment delivered under the initiative constitutes a critical component of the programme.

Project 87 forms part of the European Union’s broader effort to strengthen CBRN risk mitigation capacities across partner regions. Through coordinated training, governance support and targeted equipment delivery, the initiative has contributed to sustainable institutional resilience in Central Asia.