The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) within the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) hosted a Regional Training on Countering Biological Terrorism in Central Asia from 9 to 13 February, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The training aimed at strengthening the capacity of Central Asian countries to prevent, detect, and respond to biological terrorism threats through regional cooperation, interagency coordination, and the application of advanced detection technologies.
Over five days, the training convened 25 representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan working in law enforcement and supervisory authorities, border services, ministries of foreign affairs, internal affairs, emergency response, health, and ecology, along with biological laboratories and special services. It provided a unique platform for national security officials and scientific experts to assess and improve their capabilities to manage incidents involving biological agents.
The comprehensive curriculum included three specialized elements:
- An advanced course on biological threats where participants were introduced to current trends in the production and creation of biological weapons, as well as various detection technologies.
- A course on biological counter-measures, during which attendees explored framework mechanisms for implementing biosecurity programmes and response measures in cooperation with government and industry partners.
- A bioterrorism incident table-top exercise (TTX) designed to exercise coordination between key national agencies, including customs, immigration, and health authorities, during a biological incident.
The training showcased how essential regional collaboration and enhanced interagency coordination are to preventing the misuse of biological agents by terrorists. It also addressed emerging trends in armful "do-it-yourself" (DIY) biological agents and the investigative challenges posed by both natural outbreaks and intentional biological attacks.
Organized with the financial support of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the training was delivered within the framework of the UNCCT Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Use of Weapons, which supports Member States in preventing terrorists from acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction (WMD), as well as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) materials.
Background
In December 2025, the United Nations General Assembly reiterated its concern about the growing risk of linkages between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction (A/RES/80/41). In particular, the General Assembly recognized that terrorists may seek to acquire WMD and urged Member States to strengthen national measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring such weapons, their means of delivery, and related materials. This regional training in Almaty directly contributes to the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy by fostering the specialized expertise required to counter biological terrorism in Central Asia.
