CMDR COE and ESDC Strengthen Disaster Relief Expertise in the CSDP Context
Date: (17-07-2026)
The Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence hosted the Disaster Relief in the Common Security and Defence Policy Context Course this week.
The course was conducted under the auspices of the European Security and Defence College and organised in cooperation with the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, the National College of Internal Affairs of Romania, and the “G. S. Rakovski” National Defence College.
The course was honoured by the presence of H.E. Brândușa Predescu, Ambassador of Romania to the Republic of Bulgaria, Dr Raed Arafat, Secretary of State and Head of the Department for Emergency Situations of Romania, as well as senior representatives from the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, ESDC, and partner institutions.
Over four days, participants from military, civilian, diplomatic, police, academic, and humanitarian backgrounds examined how the European Union coordinates its policies, institutions, and capabilities when disaster strikes.
The programme covered the full disaster-management chain, from prevention and preparedness to emergency response, humanitarian assistance, civil protection, recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Particular attention was given to the EU’s institutional architecture, the role of ECHO, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, the Emergency Response Coordination Centre, the European External Action Service, and cooperation with international and local partners.
The course also examined the responsible use of CSDP instruments and military assets in disaster-affected environments. Participants also discussed how military capabilities can support civilian-led and humanitarian responses through logistics, engineering, medical support, communications, situational awareness, and planning, when requested and properly coordinated.
The agenda combined expert lectures, lessons learned, practical discussions, and a table-top exercise led by Romanian emergency-management experts. Key topics included civil-military cooperation in disaster relief, resilience through civil preparedness, humanitarian assistance, the role of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, disaster diplomacy, military medicine, deployable military disaster-relief capabilities, and international cooperation in emergency situations.
By bringing together diplomatic, civilian, military, police, academic, and humanitarian perspectives, the course, now in its sixth consecutive year, supports a practical and integrated understanding of disaster relief in the CSDP context.
For CMDR COE, this course reflects the Centre’s continued commitment to strengthening crisis management education, civil-military cooperation, resilience, and professional networks across institutions, sectors, and national boundaries.
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