Africa Shield 2026 Workshop Trains Over 100 Officials on CBRN Security in Tunis

The Africa Shield 2026 Regional Counterproliferation Workshop took place July 14-16 in Tunis, Tunisia, drawing more than 100 law enforcement officials, military representatives, policymakers and national coordinators for UN Security Council Resolution 1540.

The International Counterproliferation Program of the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency led the sessions. Partners included the European Union Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Centres of Excellence Risk Mitigation Initiative and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

This marked the sixth edition of the Africa Shield series. Participants examined ways to secure materials used in healthcare, scientific research, mining and industry while supporting economic growth under the African Continental Free Trade Area. Tunisia hosted the event at the intersection of trade routes linking North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Sahel.

Mubarak Aliyu, a Nigeria-based political and security risk analyst, said the same materials that strengthen development can become security risks if poorly managed. He added that oversight systems must prevent diversion without slowing economic progress.

Major Brittany Brown, coordinator of DTRA’s Global Threat Reduction Africa Region Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction Program, said the programme enables African countries to demonstrate ownership of the counterproliferation challenge and described it as a critical multilateral investment.

Phil Efe Benard, country director of the African Chamber of Content Producers Nigeria, noted that monitoring shipments and sharing intelligence remain daily struggles due to limited resources and exploited smuggling routes. Kupagme stated that economic development and security should mutually reinforce each other.