The Global Crisis Room Support Programme (GCRSP) began its first training course on Monday 29th of June in Port-of-Spain at theCARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS).

The training is part of a two-year capacity development initiative of the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) to support Latin American and Caribbean regional organisations and their Member States in enhancing their conflict and disaster early-warning capabilities. The purpose is also to help participants to effectively reduce the potentially devastating impact of these types of events on people and property.

The Caribbean region is particularly vulnerable to a wide range of natural hazards, including hurricanes, droughts and flooding as well as threats from transnational crimes such as drug smuggling, human trafficking and cybercrimes. One of the key challenges that countries in the region face is to become more proactive in order to predict and prevent conflicts and reduce the impact of disasters and crisis situations.

Experts from Caribbean Community agencies: (Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency(CDEMA), Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Regional Security System (RSS), CARICOM IMPACSand its two sub-agencies (Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre (RIFC) and the Joint Regional Communication Centre (JRCC)), will participate in the course on Open Source Information (OSI).

Participants are expected to develop a range of skills including how to monitor social media information for crisis support, the use of data processing tools and the principles of safer searching. This training will improve participants’ capacities to anticipate potential crises with the help of open source media while improving online anonymity and security.

The GCRSP also seeks to improve the inter-connectivity between crisis response centres within the region as well as strengthen cooperation with the EU Crisis Room and other EU institutions in the field of crisis response and early warning. Activities include training, workshops and technical information sessions in Europe covering risk and scenario analysis, early warning, conflict analysis, open source information, knowledge management, and other related topics.