The Regional Cyber Defence Summit, hosted in Oman in March 2013, brought together public sector officials and industry experts to discuss cyber security. This summit was the second in a series designed to develop strategies to protect critical infrastructure from cyber attacks; the first was held in Oman the year before. “Cyber attacks in the region that have targeted institutions and infrastructure sectors of vital industries help us realize the challenges faced by countries,” Oman Information Technology Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr. Salim al-Ruzaiqi said during the summit. “All necessary measures should be taken to ensure that the impact of…
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REUTERS Landlocked neighbors Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan announced plans for a regional railway that will allow them to expand trade with former Soviet countries and reach markets in south Asia. The new 400-kilometer (250-mile) route, expected to cost $1.5 billion, will turn Turkmenistan into a major railway transit country linking Russia and other former Soviet states with south Asian countries such as Pakistan. It also will allow Tajikistan to import oil products and other vital cargo. Boosting trade with other parts of Eurasia would help Afghanistan as well, which could also turn into a transit nation for goods flowing from…
BY SGT. DAVID DOBRYDNEY/U.S. AIR FORCE Even in the midst of conflict, it is important to keep an eye on the future. That’s why Afghan doctors and nurses are taking time from their critical daily tasks to be part of the Afghan Trauma Mentorship Program at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital. “We’ve learned things we have not seen before that we will bring back to our hospitals,” said 1st Lt. Dr. Farooq Azam, an ear, nose and throat surgeon with the Afghan National Police. The classes, which have trained more than 40 Afghan doctors and nurses to date, include students…
UNIPATH STAFF Iraqi policemen and their dogs showed off their skills during a ceremony in February 2013. The event celebrated about 100 newly trained dog handlers who completed a 60-day training course at the police canine headquarters in Kerbala. This type of training is invaluable when it comes to securing communities. Dogs have a keen sense of smell — so strong, in fact, that they can detect bombs. Their help is invaluable for military and police units that frequently encounter improvised explosive devices. Canine units can also help chase down suspects and find victims buried in rubble.
PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS SEAN WEIR/U.S. NAVY Afghan Col. Mohammadi Shams directs planning and budgeting for the Afghan National Police (ANP), where he has served for 34 years. He said he joined out of love for his country and has stayed because he enjoys helping people in his community. Shams attends the newly opened Center for Acquisitions and Procurement (CAP) at the Pohantoon-e-Hawayee military installation in Kabul. The CAP is where police, Soldiers and civilian employees from the security ministries go to receive training on how to correctly perform acquisition, procurement and resource management functions such as budgeting and tracking…
UNIPATH STAFF Dealing with the aftermath of earthquakes, avalanches and mudslides is critical for the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2012, the country experienced 449 official emergencies, more than double the number of incidents dealt with the previous year, according to Mukhammed Svarov, head of the Kyrgyz Republic’s Crisis Management Center for the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In May 2013, an urban search and rescue training session at the ministry’s Sadovoye National Training Center tested national response plans during a scenario that included responding to a collapsed building. Teams had to shore up the building to ensure they could evacuate the wounded…
COMBINED MARITIME FORCES Exercise Falcon Response brought together navies and coast guards from Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United States to practice rescuing distressed mariners at sea. The effort was coordinated by Combined Maritime Forces’ Combined Task Force (CTF) 152, a specialist task group designed to promote maritime security and closer cooperation between regional partners in and around the Gulf. The aim of the exercise was for the international maritime forces to work together in testing and proving search and rescue techniques. Set against a fictitious scenario in which the Bahrain headquarters of CTF 152 received a distress call…
UNIPATH STAFF Members of the Egyptian Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Force met at the King Fahd Air Base in June 2013 for the Faisal-10 tactical military air drills. The exercise aims to reinforce bilateral military cooperation between the two countries, while building force readiness. Participants take part in drills to hone air combat skills and search and rescue operations. Sources: Saudi Press Agency; Egyptian State Information Services
Qatar International Academy for Security Studies The Qatar International Academy for Security Studies (QIASS) and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) – The Hague want to expand cooperation between their two organizations, citing areas of mutual interest that include countering violent extremism, crafting counternarratives and rehabilitating violent extremists. In February 2013, members of the two groups gathered in the Netherlands to explore possibilities and sign a memorandum of understanding. QIASS is a professional institute working to raise security standards, knowledge and cooperation. The organization serves multiple market sectors including government, commercial and nonprofit within the Gulf region and around the…
Stripped of many of its forests during the past 30 years, Lebanon is engaging in a massive reforestation campaign with the help of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). In March 2013, the Army worked with the U.N. Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the nongovernmental organization Jouzour Loubnan in Marjayoun district. “Today, the efforts of UNIFIL Soldiers from the French and Spanish contingents, together with the LAF and Jouzour Loubnan, are an example of the cooperation that exists between civilians and the military. This is an activity that demonstrates our commitment toward maintaining stability and development in the south, and…