Enhancing the safety and security of chemical facilities in North Africa and Sahel region

Chemical safety as a shared regional priority

Chemical substances are essential to modern life, supporting key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and industry. However, when not properly managed, they can pose serious risks to human health, the environment and infrastructures. 

Accidental releases, industrial incidents or insufficient control of chemical storage and handling may have significant consequences, particularly where regulatory and operational capacities vary across countries. Strengthening the safety and security of chemical installations is therefore essential to prevent accidents, enhance preparedness, and ensure coordinated responses across borders.

A regional kick-off bringing together key actors

The launch of Project 112 brought together National Focal Points, their deputies, and technical experts from Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia.

The opening session gathered representatives from key institutions, including the Delegation of the European Union in Tunisia, the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments of the European Commission, the EU CBRN CoE Regional Secretariat for North Africa and Sahel, national authorities and implementing partners. 

Their interventions set the strategic framework for implementation and reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation.

Participating countries also introduced their nominated experts, helping to establish clear technical counterparts for each component of the project.

Project 112 is implemented by a consortium led by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in partnership with the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies and the University of Pisa. The project team presented its structure and roles, ensuring clarity on coordination and technical responsibilities.

From planning to implementation 

The technical team introduced the project’s seven work packages, providing a shared understanding of the overall intervention logic.

The first phase focuses on strengthening national chemical governance and identifying existing capacities. This includes the development of national chemical profiles and targeted training on the identification of hazardous substances, based on international standards.

Building on this foundation, the project will addresse the full risk management cycle, from identifying high-risk chemical installations to strengthen risk assessment and mitigation capacities. This approach will be complemented by national exercises designed to test coordination, decision-making and emergency response mechanisms.

The final phase will focus on sustainability, reinforcing inspection systems and laboratory capacities to support long-term chemical safety and control.

Structured dialogue through thematic roundtables

The meeting featured a series of thematic roundtables covering key areas such as chemical profiling, risk assessment, emergency preparedness, inspection systems and laboratory capacities.

These sessions enabled direct exchanges between national experts and implementing partners, allowing participants to clarify methodologies, discuss operational challenges and align activities with national priorities.

Participants highlighted the importance of adapting approaches to national contexts while maintaining regional coherence and alignment with international standards. The format was widely appreciated for strengthening coordination, ownership and mutual understanding.

About Project 112

Project 112 aims to strengthenchemical safety and security across the North Africa and Sahel region. It supports the development of national capacities in risk prevention, preparedness, response, inspection and laboratory analysis.

Funded by the European Union under the EU CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative, the project runs from November 2025 to November 2028. It supports countries in improving chemical management frameworks, preventing and responding to chemical incidents, and strengthening control over chemical facilities.

Download the project factsheet (EN) / Download the project factsheet (FR)