CMDR COE and JFC Naples Strengthen Regional Crisis Cooperation in Rabat

Date: (28-11-2025)

Rabat, Morocco – 24-28 November 2025

The Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE), with the support of NATO’s Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP), conducted a multinational workshop on Crisis Management and Disaster Response in Rabat, Morocco, bringing together experts and officials from Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Mauritania, Malta, and the African Union. The CMDR COE team was supplemented by an expert from the Strategic Planning Directorate, Bulgarian Defence Staff.

Hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco, the event focused on strengthening national and regional capacities to prepare for, respond to and recover from complex crises and disasters. Participants examined current challenges, shared national experiences and identified practical avenues for enhanced cooperation.

In his opening address, the CMDR COE Director underlined that crises and disasters do not respect borders, and therefore effective crisis management cannot remain confined within them either. He stressed the importance of a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, as well as regional and international partnerships, to address natural hazards, technological and industrial incidents, health emergencies, large-scale population movements and hybrid threats.

Over several days, the workshop programme combined plenary presentations, facilitated discussions and syndicate work. Key themes included:

National crisis management architectures, legal frameworks and governance models;
Risk assessment, early warning and decision-making under time pressure;
Coordination between civilian and military actors and cooperation with international and non-governmental organisations;
Strategic communication and maintaining public trust during crises;
Building long-term resilience in critical sectors such as health, energy, transport and digital services.

Participants shared concrete lessons identified from past emergencies and exercises, highlighting both successful approaches and persistent gaps. The diversity of perspectives – from national crisis centres, civil protection, armed forces, ministries and regional organisations – provided a rich basis for peer learning and comparison of approaches.

The CMDR COE Director emphasised that the workshop’s value lies not only in the exchange of ideas, but in the practical steps that will follow:

“This workshop is not an end in itself. It is a starting point for deeper cooperation. The CMDR COE stands ready to support our partners through tailored education and training, exercises, modelling and simulation, and by sharing good practices and lessons learned from across the NATO and partner community.”

Throughout the workshop, participants underlined the importance of sustained dialogue and practical collaboration between NATO structures, regional organisations such as the African Union and national authorities. Areas identified for possible follow-on activities included:

Further education and training events on crisis management and disaster response;
Table-top exercises and simulations to test coordination mechanisms and decision-making processes;
Enhanced information sharing on risks, good practices and lessons learned;
Continued engagement on resilience of critical infrastructure and essential services.

At the closing ceremony, the CMDR COE Director expressed his deep appreciation for the exceptional hospitality provided by the host nation. He thanked the Moroccan authorities and support staff for creating an environment that enabled open dialogue and effective work, noting that the warmth and professionalism shown in Rabat significantly contributed to the success of the workshop.

He also extended sincere gratitude to the JFC Naples team for their steadfast support before and during the event, acknowledging their contribution as an essential link between NATO’s operational perspective and the regional realities and needs shared by the participants.

The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to maintain the professional network established in Rabat, to continue improving national systems and procedures, and to seek new opportunities for joint training, exercises and cooperation in order to strengthen collective resilience against future crises and disasters.

GALLERY

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CMDR COE and JFC Naples Strengthen Regional Crisis Cooperation in Rabat

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