OPCW training in Namibia closes with call for solidarity and vigilance
Participants told to share knowledge and strengthen solidarity
The 2025 integrated advanced course and exercise on assistance and protection against chemical weapons for English-speaking African governments closed in Swakopmund on Saturday with a call for regional solidarity and practical readiness.
Director of commerce in the industries, mines and energy ministry, Diina Nashidengo, said the week-long training had demanded “focus, teamwork and commitment”.
Nashidengo said participants were leaving “not only with new skills and knowledge but also with stronger networks of colleagues across Africa.”
She stressed that the course had “strengthened the bonds of solidarity between African state parties,” urging participants to remain ambassadors of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) mission by sharing knowledge at home and embedding a culture of readiness.
OPCW programme officer Babatunde Olowookere said the training had increased participants’ practical knowledge and skills on principles, techniques and equipment necessary to manage chemical incidents.
He encouraged them to share these skills within their home institutions, “thereby contributing to broader national capacity-building efforts.”
The six-day course in Swakopmund was the fourth phase of the OPCW’s 2024–2025 training cycle for Anglophone Africa. It involved practical demonstrations, live simulations and a final capstone drill.
Multi-national cooperation
Officials from Namibia’s defence and veteran affairs ministry, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay Fire and Rescue, and local municipalities contributed to the exercise, providing equipment and support. Instructors from Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Tanzania were recognised for their role in delivering high-quality training.
Nashidengo said Namibia was honoured to host the programme in partnership with the OPCW, noting that repeated hosting reflects the trust placed in the country to provide a platform for strengthening African capacities under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The OPCW confirmed in 2023 that all declared chemical weapons stockpiles had been destroyed, but officials have warned against complacency. The organisation has identified Africa as a focus region for building resilience against the potential re-emergence of chemical threats, whether through terrorism, industrial incidents or gaps in national preparedness.
At the conclusion of the event, Nashidengo called on participants to “continue working for a safer Africa and a safer world.”
Director of commerce in the industries, mines and energy ministry, Diina Nashidengo, said the week-long training had demanded “focus, teamwork and commitment”.
Nashidengo said participants were leaving “not only with new skills and knowledge but also with stronger networks of colleagues across Africa.”
She stressed that the course had “strengthened the bonds of solidarity between African state parties,” urging participants to remain ambassadors of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) mission by sharing knowledge at home and embedding a culture of readiness.
OPCW programme officer Babatunde Olowookere said the training had increased participants’ practical knowledge and skills on principles, techniques and equipment necessary to manage chemical incidents.
He encouraged them to share these skills within their home institutions, “thereby contributing to broader national capacity-building efforts.”
The six-day course in Swakopmund was the fourth phase of the OPCW’s 2024–2025 training cycle for Anglophone Africa. It involved practical demonstrations, live simulations and a final capstone drill.
Multi-national cooperation
Officials from Namibia’s defence and veteran affairs ministry, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay Fire and Rescue, and local municipalities contributed to the exercise, providing equipment and support. Instructors from Kenya, Namibia, Uganda and Tanzania were recognised for their role in delivering high-quality training.
Nashidengo said Namibia was honoured to host the programme in partnership with the OPCW, noting that repeated hosting reflects the trust placed in the country to provide a platform for strengthening African capacities under Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The OPCW confirmed in 2023 that all declared chemical weapons stockpiles had been destroyed, but officials have warned against complacency. The organisation has identified Africa as a focus region for building resilience against the potential re-emergence of chemical threats, whether through terrorism, industrial incidents or gaps in national preparedness.
At the conclusion of the event, Nashidengo called on participants to “continue working for a safer Africa and a safer world.”
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