Luanda: GCC member states stand ready to deal with any radiological and nuclear emergencies in case they were to arise, the chief of a bloc-wide emergency management center said on Monday. Underlining public safety as the primary objective, GCC Emergency Management Center Director Dr. Rashed Al Marri said that the center is now in "full activation" mode, just days after an exercise, involving GCC member states, was held in the UAE.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the drill enhanced the GCC preparedness and the joint response plan to deal with potential nuclear and radioactive emergencies. Dr. Rashed Al Marri highlighted the importance of the exercise named "Barakah," which improved efficiency and allowed GCC member states to share their experiences on the matter, subsequently putting in place a "unified" response plan in the event of any nuclear emergencies.
Dr. Al Marri noted that the drill set a "precedent" for Gulf Arab cooperation. He stated that the GCC emergency management center routinely organizes similar exercises to increase preparedness across the six-member bloc, emphasizing that the drill met its objectives.
The exercise, conducted via video link on Wednesday, was part of GCC efforts to raise the level of preparedness across the Gulf Arab region to handle any nuclear or radioactive emergencies.