UAE concludes regional programme on CBRN crime prosecution

Spanning five months, the programme provided a comprehensive training pathway that combined legal grounding with practical application, culminating in a Mock Trial phase that marked the programme’s apex.

The programme brought together 45 participants from various government entities and institutions across the UAE, along with trainees from the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman and the State of Qatar. This reflects the programme’s regional character and strengthens the exchange of expertise and the development of shared capabilities in this critical field.

The programme comprised a series of advanced training phases, guiding participants from the development of legal concepts and the analysis of crime scenarios involving hazardous materials, through field application, to a fully integrated simulation of criminal proceedings in a courtroom setting.

This included the presentation of facts, the submission of evidence, the examination of witnesses, and the management of pleadings, and concluded with deliberations and the issuance of judgments in accordance with established judicial procedures.

The Public Prosecution affirmed that the programme aligns with its strategic direction to enhance the readiness of the criminal justice system to address non-traditional threats and to entrench an advanced judicial model based on specialisation, integration and proactivity. This, in turn, strengthens the efficiency of judicial personnel in handling complex cases.

In this context, Chief Prosecutor Salem Ali Al Zaabi, Head of the Team, stated that the programme is a practical embodiment of the State Public Prosecution’s vision to build an advanced criminal justice system capable of keeping pace with and proactively addressing non-traditional threats.

He noted that the outcomes of this extended training track mark a qualitative shift from theoretical preparation to fully integrated practical application, achieved through the development of specialised capabilities and the reinforcement of institutional integration among relevant entities, thereby supporting the State’s readiness in this vital domain.

He added that the forthcoming phase, represented by the Train the Trainer (TTT) programme in Turin, constitutes a strategic step towards strengthening national competencies and facilitating knowledge transfer at both national and regional levels, further consolidating the UAE’s position as a regional hub for judicial capacity building and for addressing CBRN-related crimes.

He further explained that the programme was delivered with the participation of a distinguished group of judges, prosecutors and experts, and through strategic partnerships with a number of national and international entities, including the European Union and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, reflecting a high level of institutional coordination and international cooperation in this field.

At the conclusion of the programme, an official ceremony was held in the presence of Counsellor Sultan Al Juweid, Assistant Attorney-General, to honour the graduates.

The event recognised trainees, partners and working teams who contributed to the planning and implementation of the programme, in appreciation of their efforts in ensuring the success of this training track and the achievement of its qualitative outcomes.