NOTE BY THE TECHNICAL SECRETARIATt
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR A TRAINING COURSE FOR AFRICAN STATES PARTIES ON SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS IN A HIGHLY CONTAMINATED ENVIRONMENT ALGIERS, ALGERIA
5 – 9 April 2026
Call for Nominations- On behalf of the Government of Algeria and the OPCW, the Technical Secretariat (the Secretariat) wishes to invite African States Parties to nominate participants for a training course on sampling and analysis in a highly contaminated environment, to be held in Algiers, Algeria, from 5 to 9 April 2026.
- The course will be jointly organised by the Government of Algeria and the Secretariat. The main purpose of the course is to provide expert knowledge and skills to 25 specialists from African States Parties who would be responsible for conducting sampling and analysis tasks in a highly contaminated environment resulting from a chemical attack or a chemical incident.
- African States Parties that do not yet have sampling and analysis capabilities are especially encouraged to nominate participants. Given the objectives of the course and its technical nature, applicants should have a solid technical background in chemistry and the management of hazardous chemical substances. Applicants are expected to be familiar with the principles of first response, including sampling and chemical emergency management. Previous practical experience in military or civil protection is desirable. Personal protective equipment will be worn for several hours each day, and participants must therefore be physically fit and able to wear such equipment for extended periods
- The Secretariat expects to be able to sponsor a limited number of participants from African States Parties. For sponsored participants, it will cover the costs of accommodation and meals. Further details regarding accommodation, the course venue, and transport will be issued to all confirmed participants at a later date.
- When making travel arrangements for sponsored participants, the Secretariat will seek the most economical options. In order for the Secretariat to keep costs to a minimum, sponsored participants are expected to arrive no earlier than Saturday, 4 April 2026, and depart no later than Friday, 10 April 2026.
- The course will be conducted in English, and no interpretation services of any kind will be provided. Participants are therefore expected to have a good command of both written and spoken English.
- Interested States Parties are invited to submit nominations as soon as possible and not later than 20 February 2026, making sure to provide all necessary contact information and valid passport details of the nominees. Endorsement by a candidate’s National Authority is a prerequisite for consideration in the selection process. The endorsement process must be completed online before 20 February 2026 in Eventus (https://eventus.opcw.org), the OPCW event management system. States Parties and National Authorities are strongly encouraged to seek, support, and endorse applications from qualified women applicants.
- Participants are requested to obtain all necessary visas, including transit visas, before travelling to Algeria.
-
The provisional programme for this course is included as the Annex to this Note, and
further details will be issued at a later date. Any questions may be addressed to the focal
points for this training cycle in the Assistance and Protection Branch of the International
Cooperation and Assistance Division of the Secretariat:
-
Mr. Babatunde Olowookere –
+31 (0)653274684
babatunde.olowoookere@opcw.org -
Ms. Fildza Setiabudi –
+31 70 416 3462
fildza.setiabudi@opcw.org
-
Mr. Babatunde Olowookere –
Annex
TRAINING COURSE FOR AFRICAN STATES PARTIES ON SAMPLING AND
ANALYSIS IN A HIGHLY CONTAMINATED ENVIRONMENT
ALGIERS, ALGERIA
5 – 9 April 2026
Provisional Programme
Saturday, 4 April 2026
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| — | Arrival of participants |
Sunday, 5 April 2026
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 07:00 – 08:00 | Registration, meet-and-greet at the National Army Circle (CNA) |
| 08:00 – 09:30 | Opening ceremony |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Official photography |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Coffee / tea break |
| 10:15 – 11:00 | Presentation: Overview of the OPCW and Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Presentation: Introduction to chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals, an overview |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 – 14:15 | Presentation: Principles of protection against chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, and PPE |
| 14:15 – 14:45 | Presentation: Principles of detection of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals |
| 14:45 – 15:30 | Presentation: Overview of sampling – rules, hazards, equipment, and procedures |
| 15:30 – 16:15 | Presentation: Principles of decontamination and methods |
| 16:15 – 16:30 | Coffee / tea break |
| 16:30 – 17:15 | Presentation: Sample preparation and laboratory analysis challenges |
| 17:15 – 18:15 | Presentation: Laboratory safety procedures |
| 18:15 | End of day one |
Monday, 6 April 2026
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 07:00 – 08:00 | Transfer from the CNA to the National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology of the National Gendarmerie (INCC/GN) |
| 08:00 – 08:45 | Presentation: Handling toxic chemical samples and chain of custody procedure at the OPCW |
| 08:45 – 10:00 |
Group 1: PPE donning and doffing – Level C Group 2: PPE donning and doffing – Level B Group 3: PPE donning and doffing – Level A |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Coffee / tea break |
| 10:15 – 12:00 | Practical session: Level C, B, and A suits and SCBA operation |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 – 14:15 | Demonstration: Familiarisation with detection equipment |
| 14:15 – 16:00 | Practical session: Sample collection practice (team exercise) |
| 16:00 – 16:15 | Coffee / tea break |
| 16:15 – 17:00 | Presentation: Hot-zone management and sample collection |
| 17:00 | End of day two – transfer to the CNA |
Tuesday, 7 April 2026
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 07:00 – 08:00 | Transfer from the CNA to the INCC/GN |
| 08:00 – 08:45 | Presentation: Environmental and emergency sampling |
| 08:45 – 10:00 | Practice: Analytical equipment for sampling and analysis |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Coffee / tea break |
| 10:15 – 12:00 | Practice: Laboratory analysis of chemical warfare agents |
| 12:00 – 13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30 – 16:00 | Continuation of laboratory practice |
| 16:00 – 16:15 | Coffee / tea break |
| 16:15 – 17:00 | Accredited laboratory analysis: methods and rules |
| 17:00 | End of day three – transfer to the CNA |
Wednesday, 8 April 2026
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 07:00 – 08:00 | Transfer from the CNA to the INCC/GN |
| 08:00 – 10:00 | Field exercise 1 (without PPE) |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Coffee / tea break |
| 10:15 – 11:00 | Debrief of field exercise 1 |
| 11:00 – 12:30 | Field exercise 2 (half PPE) |
| 12:30 – 14:00 | Lunch |
| 14:00 – 17:00 | Field exercise 3 (full PPE) |
| 17:00 | End of day four – transfer to the CNA |
Thursday, 9 April 2026
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 07:00 – 08:00 | Transfer from the CNA to the INCC/GN |
| 08:00 – 08:45 | Presentation: Medical aspects, first aid, and antidotes |
| 08:45 – 10:00 | Practice: Administration of first aid and antidotes |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Coffee / tea break |
| 10:15 – 11:15 | Equipment check, cleaning, and handover |
| 11:15 – 12:15 | After-action review, lessons learned, and course evaluation |
| 12:15 – 13:30 | Presentation of certificates |
| 13:30 – 14:30 | Lunch |
| 14:30 | End of day five – transfer to the CNA |
Friday, 10 April 2026
| — | Departure of course participants |