The Civil Guard and the FIIAPP present the project "CT Public Spaces" to prevent terrorist attacks in public spaces in Ghana, Kenya and Senegal
The general director of the Civil Guard, María Gámez, has presented the project together with the director of the FIIAPP, Ana Terrón
The objective is to prevent and reduce terrorist attacks and their effects on public spaces in these countries.
The Rural Action Unit of the Civil Guard (UAR) is participating in the training activities, which have already begun on the ground.
The Civil Guard and the FIIAPP presented the project "CT Public Spaces" this morning at the General Directorate of the Civil Guard in Madrid. Representatives of the delegations of Ghana, Kenya and Senegal attended the event.
The Civil Guard has experience in preventing terrorist attacks in public spaces that can help in other countries. The “CT Public Spaces” project is based on the mobilization of this knowledge and experience to other countries where security in events with a large influx of people is a challenge.
The general director of the Civil Guard has highlighted that the ‘CT Public Spaces’ project aims to prevent and reduce terrorist attacks and their effects in public spaces. It is something necessary, without a doubt, because many lives can be saved, in addition to gaining stability and security, fundamental premises to favor the development of any country. Public spaces can reflect both conflicts and coexistence, they are critical places and must be protected.
In this sense, María Gámez has highlighted that the germ of the project is found in the attacks suffered, especially since 2015, in public spaces, tourist and religious venues or critical infrastructures in Europe, Africa and even Asia. Given this, the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission drew up an Action Plan to try to identify how the security of these specific points could be strengthened.
The general director has stated that ‘CT Public Spaces’ focuses on the training of personnel of the police forces of partner countries, such as Ghana, Kenya and Senegal. In this way, the Civil Guard, through this necessary initiative, shares its experiences, knowledge and skills.
We are proud to export and contribute the talent of the Rapid Action Group (GAR) and to contribute to the beneficiary states having more prepared, more capable and effective police forces. Because we work to add an extra security, without forgetting that, with the exchange of experiences, we all win; because by sharing, we also learn.
For its part, from the FIIAPP, the Spanish cooperation agency that mobilizes talent from Spanish public administrations, Anna Terrón, its director, has stressed that security is a prerequisite to any stabilization and inclusive development process. The development family is clear that the priority is that people can develop their daily lives in a dignified way. Sometimes, development and security actors work from different logics, but this exchange enriches us.
Natalie Pawels, Head of the Peace and Stability Unit of the European Commission, highlighted the importance of having the valuable experience of the Civil Guard and the important role of the FIIAPP. We are very proud to have representatives from the Sahel, the Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa here today in a multilateral engagement in the fight against terrorism, he added.
Finally, the general director of the Civil Guard, has concluded by underlining that the Civil Guard, once the project is completed, will have contributed to the training of a minimum of 100 agents for each partner country through more than thirty activities. So far, 90 students have participated in this initiative here, in Spain, and 94 in their respective countries.
Visit to the UAR headquarters in Logroño
It is planned to make a visit tomorrow, Thursday, to the Rural Action Unit of the Civil Guard at its headquarters in Logroño, where activities on the ground have already begun with specific training in the protection of public spaces for personnel of the police forces of the countries. partners. In these training courses, developed in Spain and in the three African countries, there is the experience of specialists from the Rural Action Unit (UAR) of the Civil Guard and the High Risk Safety Network of the European Union (EU- HRSN).
So far this year, training in command and control techniques, tactical patrol, precision shooters, intervention dogs or risk analysis methods, among others, have been carried out in Logroño for professionals from institutions such as the Ghana Police Service, the Senegalese National Gendarmerie or the National Police Service-Kenya. These professionals replicate these trainings in their countries with the support of the Civil Guard and the EU-HRSN personnel.
By the end of 2021, the project will have 98 trainers trained in Logroño and 94 professionals trained in their countries. For this, Civil Guard personnel have already traveled to the three partner countries to carry out the training together with the country's specialists.
About FIIAPP
The International and Ibero-American Foundation for Public Administration and Policies (FIIAPP) is an institution committed to global problems and challenges, which understands international cooperation as an instrument to face them jointly. As a foundation of the state public sector, we promote, guide and manage the participation of public administrations in international cooperation projects. Present in more than 100 countries, we strengthen public systems by improving their structures, reviewing regulatory and policy frameworks, and training public officials and managers.
